Hurricane JAVIER
ZCZC MIATCDEP3 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM HURRICANE JAVIER DISCUSSION NUMBER 14 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 8 PM PDT MON SEP 13 2004 DVORAK INTENSITY ESTIMATES FROM TAFB AND SAB WERE 127 KT...WHILE AFWA CLASSIFIED JAVIER WITH 140 KT WINDS. THIS CONTINUES THE RAPID INTENSIFICATION TREND THAT HAS BEEN OBSERVED OVER THE LAST 24 HOURS. ESTIMATED CENTRAL PRESSURES HAVE DROPPED 49 MB IN THE LAST 24 HOURS. THE INITIAL INTENSITY IS 130 KT BASED ON A COMPROMISE BETWEEN THE DVORAK ESTIMATES AND A CONTINUATION OF AN IMPRESSIVE SATELLITE PRESENTATION. THE INITIAL MOTION IS 315/8. THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE CHANGE IN THE FORECAST TRACK SINCE THE LAST ADVISORY. WEAK STEERING CURRENTS DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS SHOULD ALLOW FOR A MOTION SLIGHTLY NORTH OF THE CURRENT TRACK. AFTER THAT TIME...A STRONG RIDGE IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP OVER NORTHERN MEXICO AHEAD OF A DEEP TROUGH APPROACHING THE WESTERN UNITED STATES COAST. IN THIS SCENARIO...JAVIER WILL GRADUALLY OBTAIN A MORE WESTERLY COMPONENT TO ITS MOTION ALONG WITH A MODEST INCREASE IN SPEED. THIS TRACK WILL KEEP JAVIER WELL OFFSHORE OF THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA. HOWEVER...THERE IS STILL ENOUGH UNCERTAINTY IN THIS FORECAST TO WARRANT CLOSE MONITORING OF JAVIER FOR THOSE IN THE PENINSULA. THE OFFICIAL FORECAST MOST CLOSELY FOLLOWS THE GFDL AND UKMET MODELS...THE GFS IS AN OUTLIER TO THE SOUTH...KEEPING JAVIER AT 18N LATITUDE LATER IN THE FORECAST PERIOD. AS MENTIONED IN THE LAST DISCUSSION...THERE IS LITTLE REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THE WEAKENING TREND FORECAST BY THE SHIPS AND GFDL MODELS WILL VERIFY. ASSUMING THE CURRENT RAPID INTENSIFICATION PHASE WILL END SOON...JAVIER IS FORECAST TO REACH 135 KT IN 12 HOURS. BEYOND THAT TIME...JAVIER WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK OVER WARM SSTS IN A MOSTLY FAVORABLE ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT. GRADUAL WEAKENING SHOULD OCCUR AS COOLER SSTS ARE ENCOUNTERED LATER IN THE FORECAST PERIOD. UNTIL THAT TIME...FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY ARE LIKELY AS EYEWALL CYCLES OCCUR. FORECASTER JARVINEN/HENNON FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS INITIAL 14/0300Z 16.2N 107.0W 130 KT 12HR VT 14/1200Z 17.0N 107.6W 135 KT 24HR VT 15/0000Z 17.7N 108.0W 135 KT 36HR VT 15/1200Z 18.4N 108.6W 130 KT 48HR VT 16/0000Z 19.1N 109.3W 125 KT 72HR VT 17/0000Z 20.8N 111.1W 120 KT 96HR VT 18/0000Z 22.4N 112.9W 95 KT 120HR VT 19/0000Z 24.7N 115.2W 75 KT $$ NNNN