000 WTPZ42 KNHC 011459 TCDEP2 HURRICANE BORIS DISCUSSION NUMBER 19 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL EP022008 800 AM PDT TUE JUL 01 2008 THE EYE FEATURE HAS BECOME OBSCURED IN SHORTWAVE INFRARED IMAGERY DURING THE PAST FEW HOURS...DISAPPEARING SHORTLY AFTER 0900 UTC WHEN A TRMM OVERPASS REVEALED ABOUT HALF OF AN EYEWALL IN THE SOUTHWESTERN SEMICIRCLE. DVORAK ESTIMATES FROM TAFB AND SAB WERE STILL 65 KT AT 1200 UTC...AND EVEN THOUGH CLOUD TOP TEMPERATURES HAVE WARMED SLIGHTLY SINCE THEN...THE ADVISORY INTENSITY WILL REMAIN 65 KT. BORIS MIGHT HOLD ON TO HURRICANE STATUS A LITTLE WHILE LONGER...BUT A WEAKENING TREND SHOULD NOT BE FAR BEHIND. SEA-SURFACE TEMPERATURES ALONG THE FORECAST TRACK WILL SLOWLY COOL DURING THE NEXT 36 HOURS OR SO...THEN DECREASE FASTER AFTER THE CYCLONE CROSSES THE 26C ISOTHERM. GIVEN LITTLE CHANGE IN VERTICAL WIND SHEAR FORECAST BY THE DYNAMICAL MODELS DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS...THE OFFICIAL INTENSITY FORECAST CALLS FOR ONLY SLOW WEAKENING THROUGH 48 HOURS. A MORE RAPID DECLINE IS FORECAST AT 3 TO 5 DAYS DUE TO THE COOLER WATERS AND AN EXPECTED SLIGHT INCREASE IN THE WIND SHEAR BY THAT TIME...AND BORIS COULD DEGENERATE INTO A REMNANT LOW IN LESS THAN FIVE DAYS. THE NEW INTENSITY FORECAST GENERALLY CALLS FOR FASTER WEAKENING THAN THE PREVIOUS ONE. BORIS APPEARS TO BE SLOWING DOWN. THE INITIAL MOTION ESTIMATE IS 270/10...WITH STEERING PROVIDED BY A NARROW MID-LEVEL RIDGE TO THE NORTH OF THE CYCLONE. THAT RIDGE IS FORECAST BY MOST OF THE MODELS TO ERODE SOMEWHAT IN RESPONSE TO AN EASTWARD-MOVING DEEP-LAYER LOW SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES WEST OF CALIFORNIA. AS A RESULT THE OFFICIAL TRACK FORECAST INDICATES A DECELERATION AND A SLIGHT BEND TO THE RIGHT DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS...FOLLOWED BY A MOTION SLIGHTLY SOUTH OF WEST AFTER THE WEAKENING CYCLONE PROCEEDS WITHIN THE LOWER-LEVEL FLOW. THIS NEW FORECAST IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS ADVISORY AND REMAINS GENERALLY ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF THE GUIDANCE ENVELOPE. FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS INITIAL 01/1500Z 14.6N 125.0W 65 KT 12HR VT 02/0000Z 14.7N 126.3W 60 KT 24HR VT 02/1200Z 15.0N 127.7W 55 KT 36HR VT 03/0000Z 15.3N 129.1W 50 KT 48HR VT 03/1200Z 15.5N 130.3W 45 KT 72HR VT 04/1200Z 15.5N 132.5W 30 KT 96HR VT 05/1200Z 15.2N 134.5W 25 KT...REMNANT LOW 120HR VT 06/1200Z 14.8N 137.0W 25 KT...REMNANT LOW $$ FORECASTER KNABB