000 WTPZ41 KNHC 120248 TCDEP1 TROPICAL STORM ODILE DISCUSSION NUMBER 14 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL EP162008 800 PM PDT SAT OCT 11 2008 THE LOCATION...INTENSITY...AND SIZE OF ODILE ARE HARD TO DETERMINE THIS EVENING. WHAT LOW CLOUDS THAT CAN BE SEEN IN INFRARED IMAGERY ALONG WITH AN AMSU OVERPASS NEAR 00Z SUGGEST THAT THE CENTER IS NOW ON THE SOUTHEASTERN SIDE OF THE STRONG...BUT DISORGANIZED... CONVECTION. THIS IS LIKELY DUE TO THE EASTERLY VERTICAL WIND SHEAR PREVIOUS AFFECTING THE SYSTEM BECOMING SOUTHEASTERLY SHEAR. WHILE SATELLITE INTENSITY ESTIMATES ARE 45 KT FROM TAFB AND 55 KT FROM SAB...THE INITIAL INTENSITY IS SET TO 35 KT BASED ON EXTRAPOLATION FROM EARLIER AIRCRAFT DATA. THE WIND RADII HAVE ALSO BEEN REVISED BASED ON THE AIRCRAFT DATA...AND MAY NEED TO BE REVISED AGAIN IF A GOOD SCATTEROMETER OVERPASS OCCURS. THE INITIAL MOTION IS A SOMEWHAT UNCERTAIN 300/10. ODILE REMAINS ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF A MID-LEVEL RIDGE OVER MEXICO...WITH THE LARGE-SCALE MODELS STILL FORECASTING WEAK RIDGING TO DEVELOP NORTH OF ODILE AS HURRICANE NORBERT DISSIPATES OVER NORTHWESTERN MEXICO. THIS PATTERN SHOULD CAUSE THE CYCLONE TO TURN WESTWARD AWAY FROM THE COAST OF MEXICO DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. THE ONLY GLOBAL MODEL THAT HANGS ON TO ODILE FOR 5 DAYS...THE ECMWF...CALLS FOR IT TO TURN SOUTHWESTWARD. ON THE OTHER HAND...THE BAM MODELS FORECAST A CONTINUED WEST-NORTHWESTWARD MOTION TOWARD THE PACIFIC WEST OF BAJA CALIFORNIA. THE FORECAST TRACK COMPROMISES BETWEEN THESE EXTREMES AND CALLS FOR A SLOW WESTWARD MOTION SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE PREVIOUS FORECAST. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THIS FORECAST... WHILE IN THE GUIDANCE ENVELOPE...DOES NOT LIE PARTICULARLY CLOSE TO ANY GUIDANCE MODEL. THE INTENSITY FORECAST IS VERY LOW CONFIDENCE. FIRST...ANY DEVIATION TO THE RIGHT OF THE FORECAST TRACK COULD CAUSE ODILE TO MAKE LANDFALL AND DISSIPATE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. SECOND...THE LARGE-SCALE MODELS FORECAST THE EASTERLY SHEAR TO INCREASE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE GFDL...HWRF...AND MOST OF THE GLOBAL MODELS FORECAST ODILE TO DISSIPATE DUE TO THE COMBINATION OF SHEAR AND LAND INTERACTION...AND THAT IS CERTAINLY A POSSIBILITY. HOWEVER...IF ENOUGH OF THE CYCLONE SURVIVES THE NEXT 24-48 HR...IT MAY FIND A MORE FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT FAR ENOUGH FROM THE COAST TO RE-INTENSIFY...AS FORECAST BY THE SHIPS MODEL. WITH THESE EXTREME POSSIBILITIES...THE INTENSITY FORECAST COMPROMISES BY FOLLOWING THE SCENARIO OF THE PREVIOUS FORECAST THAT ODILE WILL BE DISRUPTED ENOUGH BY THE SHEAR AND LAND INTERACTION THAT IT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RECOVER OVER OPEN WATER. THE FORECAST CALLS FOR A SLOW WEAKENING...WITH ODILE BECOMING A REMNANT LOW BY 96 HR. FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS INITIAL 12/0300Z 18.2N 103.8W 35 KT 12HR VT 12/1200Z 18.9N 105.1W 35 KT 24HR VT 13/0000Z 19.4N 106.5W 35 KT 36HR VT 13/1200Z 19.5N 107.6W 30 KT 48HR VT 14/0000Z 19.5N 108.4W 25 KT 72HR VT 15/0000Z 19.5N 109.5W 25 KT 96HR VT 16/0000Z 19.5N 110.0W 20 KT...REMNANT LOW 120HR VT 17/0000Z 19.5N 110.5W 20 KT...REMNANT LOW $$ FORECASTER BEVEN