Hurricane FABIAN
ZCZC MIATCDAT5 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM HURRICANE FABIAN DISCUSSION NUMBER 22 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 11 PM EDT MON SEP 01 2003 THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE CHANGE IN THE SATELLITE APPEARANCE OF FABIAN SINCE THE LAST RECON FIX AT 01/1917Z. THE INITIAL INTENSITY IS BEING MAINTAINED AT 125 KT BASED ON DVORAK SATELLITE INTENSITY ESTIMATES OF 127 KT FROM TAFB AND AFWA. OUTFLOW CONTINUES TO EXPAND IN ALL QUADRANTS AND HAS ALSO BECOME QUITE SYMMETRIC. THE INITIAL MOTION IS 285/09. THIS GENERAL MOTION HAS BEEN MAINTAINED FOR MORE THAN 72 HOURS AND SHOULD CONTINUE FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER 24 HOURS OR SO. OTHERWISE...THERE IS NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO THE PREVIOUS FORECAST TRACK OR REASONING. THE GLOBAL AND GFDL MODELS HAVE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB SO FAR WITH FABIAN...AND THE OFFICIAL FORECAST TRACK IS JUST AN EXTENSION OF THE PREVIOUS TRACK. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY CAN BE EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 36 HOURS OR SO...BUT OVERALL NO MAJOR INTENSITY CHANGES ARE EXPECTED SINCE FABIAN WILL REMAIN OVER WARM SSTS OF AROUND 29C AND UNDER WEAK SHEAR. HOWEVER...BY 72-96 HOURS...INCREASING SOUTHWESTERLY SHEAR SHOULD INDUCE SOME FASTER WEAKENING...ESPECIALLY BY 120 HOURS WHEN SSTS ARE EXPECTED TO DECREASE 24C. FORECASTER STEWART FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS INITIAL 02/0300Z 19.4N 58.6W 125 KT 12HR VT 02/1200Z 19.8N 60.1W 125 KT 24HR VT 03/0000Z 20.8N 62.1W 125 KT 36HR VT 03/1200Z 22.1N 63.6W 120 KT 48HR VT 04/0000Z 23.3N 64.7W 115 KT 72HR VT 05/0000Z 27.0N 67.2W 105 KT 96HR VT 06/0000Z 33.0N 68.5W 95 KT 120HR VT 07/0000Z 40.5N 67.0W 85 KT NNNN