000 WTNT44 KNHC 081453 TCDAT4 HURRICANE IKE DISCUSSION NUMBER 30 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL092008 1100 AM EDT MON SEP 08 2008 DESPITE IKE'S TRACK OVER LAND DURING THE LAST 12 HOURS OR SO...THE CYCLONE STILL HAS A GOOD CLOUD SIGNATURE AND RADAR STRUCTURE. THE INITIAL INTENSITY IS THUS ONLY LOWERED TO 85 KT. A RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT WILL INVESTIGATE IKE THIS AFTERNOON AND DETERMINE HOW MUCH WEAKENING HAS OCCURRED. EXTRAPOLATION SUGGESTS THAT THE CENTER WILL BE BACK OVER WATER SOUTH OF CUBA SOON. IF THIS MATERIALIZES...IKE MIGHT NOT WEAKEN AS MUCH AS PREVIOUSLY SHOWN...AND THE NEW OFFICIAL INTENSITY FORECAST IS ADJUSTED SLIGHTLY UPWARD WHILE IKE IS OVER THE WARM WATERS OF THE CARIBBEAN. IN ABOUT 2 DAYS...IKE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO WHERE THE WATERS ARE WARM AND THE SHEAR IS FORECAST TO BE LOW...AND RESTRENGTHENING IS FORECAST. CUBAN RADAR AND VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY INDICATES THAT IKE CONTINUES MOVING WESTWARD OR 270/12. TRACK GUIDANCE REMAINS IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT IKE WILL SOON TURN WEST-NORTHWEST AND TRACK ALONG OR JUST SOUTH OF CUBA FOR THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS. THIS REQUIRES A SLIGHT SOUTHWARD SHIFT TO THE OFFICIAL TRACK THROUGH 36 HOURS. DYNAMICAL MODELS ARE STILL FORECASTING A SHORTWAVE TROUGH TO MOVE OVER THE EASTERN UNITED STATES IN A COUPLE OF DAYS RESULTING IN SOME WEAKENING OF THE RIDGE TO THE NORTH OF IKE. THIS IS EXPECTED TO CAUSE IKE TO TURN TEMPORARILY TO THE NORTHWEST WITH A REDUCTION IN FORWARD SPEED. ALL MODELS FORECAST THE SHORTWAVE TO BYPASS IKE TO THE NORTH...AND ARE NOW IN MUCH BETTER AGREEMENT THAT IKE WILL TURN SLIGHTLY WESTWARD IN ABOUT 3 DAYS. THIS TURN IS REFLECTED IN THE OFFICIAL FORECAST. HOWEVER...MUCH UNCERTAINTY REMAINS REGARDING THE STRENGTH OF THE MID-LEVEL RIDGE WHICH BUILDS IN THE WAKE OF THE EXITING SHORTWAVE. ACCORDINGLY...IT IS STILL MUCH TOO SOON TO KNOW WHAT PORTIONS OF THE GULF COAST COULD BE IMPACTED BY IKE. FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS INITIAL 08/1500Z 21.1N 78.5W 85 KT 12HR VT 09/0000Z 21.5N 80.2W 75 KT 24HR VT 09/1200Z 22.2N 82.2W 75 KT 36HR VT 10/0000Z 23.1N 83.8W 70 KT 48HR VT 10/1200Z 24.0N 85.1W 80 KT 72HR VT 11/1200Z 25.5N 87.5W 95 KT 96HR VT 12/1200Z 27.0N 90.5W 100 KT 120HR VT 13/1200Z 28.5N 93.5W 100 KT $$ FORECASTER RHOME/AVILA