ZCZC MIATCDEP3 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM HURRICANE GIL DISCUSSION NUMBER 12 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 2 PM PDT THU SEP 06 2001 A RAGGED EYE EMBEDDED WITHIN AN IRREGULAR CENTRAL DENSE OVERCAST HAS BEEN OBSERVED INTERMITTENTLY ON VISIBLE IMAGES. THE EYE WAS CLEARLY SEEN ON SSMI AND TRIM SATELLITES A FEW HOURS AGO. T-NUMBERS ARE 4.5 AND 5.0 ON THE DVORAK SCALE...CORRESPONDING TO ABOUT 85 KNOTS. SOME ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT DAY OR TWO WHILE LOCATED OVER WARM WATERS. SOME WEAKENING SHOULD BEGIN LATER IN THE FORECAST PERIOD WHEN GIL BEGIN TO MOVE OVER COOLER WATERS. GIL IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST OR SOUTH OF DUE WEST AT ABOUT 7 KNOTS. NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN MOTION IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 TO 36 HOURS WHILE HENRIETTE IS PASSING TO THE NORTH DISRUPTING THE WESTWARD STEERING FLOW. THEREAFTER...A TRACK MORE TO THE WEST-NORTHWEST IS ANTICIPATED AS THE MIDDLE-LEVEL RIDGE TO THE NORTHEAST BUILDS. FORECASTER AVILA FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS INITIAL 06/2100Z 14.8N 128.4W 85 KTS 12HR VT 07/0600Z 14.9N 129.5W 90 KTS 24HR VT 07/1800Z 15.0N 131.0W 90 KTS 36HR VT 08/0600Z 15.5N 132.0W 85 KTS 48HR VT 08/1800Z 16.0N 133.0W 75 KTS 72HR VT 09/1800Z 17.5N 135.0W 65 KTS NNNN