000 WTPZ44 KNHC 210832 TCDEP4 HURRICANE CELIA DISCUSSION NUMBER 9 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL EP042010 200 AM PDT MON JUN 21 2010 ON GEOSTATIONARY SATELLITE IMAGES...THE CLOUD PATTERN OF CELIA HAS NOT CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE PAST SEVERAL HOURS. MICROWAVE IMAGERY CONTINUES TO SHOW A PARTIAL EYEWALL. DVORAK T-NUMBERS ARE UNCHANGED SINCE 0000 UTC...SO THE CURRENT INTENSITY IS MAINTAINED AT 70 KT. WATER VAPOR ANIMATION SHOWS UPPER-LEVEL EASTERLIES IMPINGING ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF CELIA AND INHIBITING THE OUTFLOW OVER THAT PART OF THE CIRCULATION. GLOBAL MODEL FORECASTS SHOW DECREASING EASTERLY SHEAR LATER IN THE PERIOD...HOWEVER COOLING SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES COULD LIMIT INTENSIFICATION BY THAT TIME. THE OFFICIAL INTENSITY FORECAST IS SLIGHTLY BELOW THE PREVIOUS ONE...BUT ABOVE LGEM AND THE INTENSITY MODEL CONSENSUS. SATELLITE FIXES INDICATE A SLIGHT NORTHWARD JOG AT AN INCREASED FORWARD SPEED. AFTER SOME SMOOTHING AND USING CONTINUITY FROM THE PREVIOUSLY ESTIMATED VALUE...THE INTIAL MOTION ESTIMATE IS NOW 275/8. A 500 MB RIDGE EXTENDING WESTWARD ACROSS THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA SHOULD MAINTAIN A MAINLY WESTWARD MOTION OF CELIA FOR THE NEXT 2-3 DAYS. AFTERWARDS...A MID-LEVEL TROUGH NEAR THE U.S. WEST COAST IS LIKELY TO WEAKEN THE RIDGE SOMEWHAT. THIS WOULD ALLOW A MORE NORTHWARD MOTION OF THE HURRICANE...AND MOST OF THE TRACK GUIDANCE SHOWS A TURN TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST BEYOND 72 HOURS. THE OFFICIAL FORECAST IS A LITTLE FASTER AND SLIGHTLY NORTH OF THE PREVIOUS ONE DUE TO THE SLIGHTLY REVISED INTIAL MOTION. THIS IS CLOSE TO A CONSENSUS OF THE DYNAMICAL GUIDANCE THAT EXCLUDES THE FORECAST FROM THE GFS...WHICH SHOWS AN UNREALISTIC SOUTHWESTWARD MOTION OVER THE NEXT DAY OR SO. FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS INITIAL 21/0900Z 11.8N 102.1W 70 KT 12HR VT 21/1800Z 11.9N 103.3W 75 KT 24HR VT 22/0600Z 12.0N 104.8W 80 KT 36HR VT 22/1800Z 12.1N 106.4W 85 KT 48HR VT 23/0600Z 12.3N 108.0W 90 KT 72HR VT 24/0600Z 13.0N 111.5W 100 KT 96HR VT 25/0600Z 14.5N 115.0W 100 KT 120HR VT 26/0600Z 16.0N 119.0W 90 KT $$ FORECASTER PASCH