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Hurricane Fiona Discussion Number  26
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL       AL072022
500 PM EDT Tue Sep 20 2022

Deep convection around Fiona's eye is intense, but is in a rather 
asymmetrical pattern at this time.  Upper-tropospheric outflow 
remains somewhat restricted over the western semicircle of the 
system.  The last Air Force Hurricane Hunter fix in the 
center of the hurricane around 17Z showed a slight fall of 
central pressure from earlier in the day, but the flight-level and 
SFMR-observed surface winds indicated that the maximum winds were 
still near 100 kt.  This is also in agreement with the latest 
Dvorak satellite estimates from TAFB and SAB.  Another Air Force 
Hurricane Hunter mission into Fiona is scheduled for 00Z to see if 
Fiona is strengthening again.

Vertical wind shear over Fiona, as diagnosed by the SHIPS model, is 
predicted to remain moderate for the next few days.  However, the 
hurricane is likely to remain in a moist unstable air mass and over 
a warm ocean for the next couple of days which is likely to offset 
the influence of shear.  In general, the intensity model guidance 
continues to show strengthening for about the next 48 hours, and so 
does the official forecast.  Fiona is expected to become a category 
4 hurricane in a day or so.  By 96 hours, global model guidance 
indicates that the system will be transformed into a vigorous 
extratropical cyclone near Atlantic Canada.

The hurricane is still headed toward the north-northwest with an 
initial motion estimate of 330/7 kt.  The track forecast scenario 
is generally unchanged from the previous advisory.  Fiona should 
turn northward while moving along the western side of a mid-level 
anticyclone during the next day or so.  In 2-3 days, an intense 
mid-tropospheric trough will be moving off the northeast United 
States coast.  This feature should cause Fiona to accelerate toward 
the north-northeast and northeast during the latter part of the 
forecast period.  The official forecast follows about the same 
trajectory as the previous one, but is just a tad slower.  This is 
in good agreement with both the simple and corrected consensus 
predictions.


Key Messages:
 
1.  Heavy rains around the center of Fiona will continue to impact 
the Turks and Caicos through this evening with continued 
life-threatening flooding.  Localized additional flash and urban 
flooding is possible in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
 
2. Hurricane conditions are affecting portions of the Turks and
Caicos islands, while tropical storm conditions should affect
portions of the southeastern Bahamas during the next few hours.
 
3. Tropical storm conditions are possible on Bermuda by late 
Thursday.

4. Fiona is expected to affect portions of Atlantic Canada as a 
powerful hurricane-force cyclone late Friday and Saturday, and could 
produce significant impacts from high winds, storm surge, and heavy 
rainfall. Interests in these areas should closely monitor the 
progress of Fiona and updates to the forecast. 


FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS
 
INIT  20/2100Z 22.6N  71.8W  100 KT 115 MPH
 12H  21/0600Z 23.6N  72.0W  110 KT 125 MPH
 24H  21/1800Z 25.0N  71.9W  115 KT 130 MPH
 36H  22/0600Z 26.9N  71.3W  115 KT 130 MPH
 48H  22/1800Z 29.4N  70.1W  120 KT 140 MPH
 60H  23/0600Z 32.4N  67.8W  115 KT 130 MPH
 72H  23/1800Z 36.9N  63.5W  105 KT 120 MPH
 96H  24/1800Z 46.5N  60.0W   85 KT 100 MPH...POST-TROP/EXTRATROP
120H  25/1800Z 55.0N  58.0W   55 KT  65 MPH...POST-TROP/EXTRATROP
 
$$
Forecaster Pasch
 
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