000 WTPZ45 KNHC 112036 TCDEP5 HURRICANE JOVA DISCUSSION NUMBER 24 NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL EP102011 200 PM PDT TUE OCT 11 2011 AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INVESTIGATED JOVA AND REPORTED THAT THE HURRICANE HAS WEAKENED SINCE THE FLIGHT YESTERDAY. THE MAXIMUM 700 MB FLIGHT-LEVEL WINDS WERE 95 KT...AND THE MAXIMUM ESTIMATED SURFACE WINDS FROM THE STEPPED FREQUENCY MICROWAVE RADIOMETER WERE 78 KT. THE LAST REPORTED CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS 973 MB. BASED ON THIS...THE INITIAL INTENSITY IS REDUCED TO 85 KT. ANALYSES FROM THE SHIPS MODEL AND FROM CIMSS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SHOW 10-15 KT OF SOUTHERLY VERTICAL WIND SHEAR...WHICH MIGHT BE THE CAUSE OF THE OBSERVED WEAKENING. THE INITIAL MOTION IS NOW 030/5...AND IN THE SHORT-TERM THE CENTER MAY BE MOVING A LITTLE FASTER THAN 5 KT. JOVA IS ON THE WEST SIDE OF A MID/UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE OVER EASTERN MEXICO...WHILE WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS A DEVELOPING MID/UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH WEST OF BAJA CALIFORNIA. THIS COMBINATION SHOULD CAUSE THE HURRICANE TO TURN NORTHWARD DURING THE NEXT 12-24 HOURS...WITH THE CENTER CROSSING THE COAST OF MEXICO IN ABOUT 12 HOURS. WHILE THE TRACK GUIDANCE AGREES WITH THIS SCENARIO...THERE REMAINS SOME SPREAD IN THE DIRECTION OF MOTION AFTER LANDFALL...POSSIBLY DUE TO HOW THE MODELS HANDLE THE HIGH TERRAIN OF MEXICO. THE NEW FORECAST TRACK IS AGAIN A UPDATE OF THE PREVIOUS TRACK...AND IT REMAINS A LITTLE TO THE LEFT OF THE CENTER OF THE GUIDANCE ENVELOPE AFTER LANDFALL. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN STRENGTH ARE POSSIBLE BEFORE LANDFALL. AFTER THAT...WEAKENING IS EXPECTED AS JOVA CROSSES THE MOUNTAINS OF WESTERN MEXICO. THE FORECAST TIME OF DISSIPATION IS NOW JUST AFTER 48 HOURS...WHICH IS 24 HOURS EARLIER THAN IN THE PREVIOUS ADVISORY. IT IS STILL POSSIBLE THAT JOVA COULD DISSIPATE EARLIER THAN THIS TIME. HEAVY RAINS FROM JOVA ARE LIKELY ACROSS PORTIONS OF WESTERN MEXICO DUE TO THE RELATIVELY SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE CYCLONE AND UPSLOPE FLOW INTO THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THESE RAINS WILL LIKELY CAUSE FLASH FLOODS AND MUDSLIDES. FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS INIT 11/2100Z 18.3N 105.4W 85 KT 100 MPH 12H 12/0600Z 19.3N 105.0W 85 KT 100 MPH 24H 12/1800Z 20.4N 104.8W 50 KT 60 MPH...INLAND 36H 13/0600Z 21.4N 104.8W 30 KT 35 MPH...INLAND 48H 13/1800Z 22.2N 104.8W 25 KT 30 MPH...POST-TROP/REMNT LOW 72H 14/1800Z...DISSIPATED $$ FORECASTER BEVEN