000 WTPZ42 KNHC 071513 TCDEP2 TROPICAL STORM GILMA DISCUSSION NUMBER 2...CORRECTED NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL EP072012 800 AM PDT TUE AUG 07 2012 CORRECTED DEPRESSION TO STORM IN SECOND PARAGRAPH FIRST LIGHT VISIBLE IMAGERY SHOWS THAT TROPICAL DEPRESSION SEVEN-E HAS DEVELOPED A CENTRAL DENSE OVERCAST AND AN OUTER CONVECTIVE BAND IN THE WESTERN SEMICIRCLE. SATELLITE INTENSITY ESTIMATES AT 1200 UTC WERE 30 KT FROM SAB AND TAFB. BASED ON THE INCREASED ORGANIZATION SINCE THAT TIME...THE DEPRESSION IS UPGRADED TO TROPICAL STORM GILMA. THE INITIAL MOTION REMAINS 295/10. THE STORM IS CURRENTLY BEING STEERED WEST-NORTHWESTWARD BY A MID-LEVEL RIDGE EXTENDING FROM THE SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES AND THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. IN THE SHORT-TERM...THIS SHOULD ALLOW THE CURRENT MOTION TO CONTINUE. IN THE LONGER TERM...THE GLOBAL MODELS SUGGEST THAT A LARGE AREA OF BROAD LOW-LEVEL CYCLONIC FLOW WILL DEVELOP NEAR THE MEXICAN COAST FROM 72-120 HR...POSSIBLY IN RESPONSE TO ATLANTIC TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO OR ITS REMNANTS CROSSING MEXICO AND RE-DEVELOPING IN THE PACIFIC. THE UKMET AND ECMWF SHOW GILMA TURNING EASTWARD IN RESPONSE TO THIS DEVELOPMENT...WHILE THE GFS AND NOGAPS SHOW A WESTWARD OR WEST-NORTHWESTWARD MOTION. THE NEW FORECAST TRACK IS SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS TRACK IN SHOWING A DECELERATING WESTWARD MOTION FROM 72-120 HR. THE FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS HIGH DURING THE FIRST 48 HR...THEN DECREASES SIGNIFICANTLY AFTER THAT. GILMA IS CURRENTLY OVER WATER OF ABOUT 29C AND IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF LIGHT EAST-NORTHEASTERLY VERTICAL WIND SHEAR. WHILE THE UPPER-LEVEL WINDS SHOULD BE FAVORABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT...THE STORM IS FORECAST TO MOVE OVER DECREASING SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES...REACHING WATERS OF 26C IN ABOUT 72 HR. AFTER THAT...A COMBINATION OF INCREASING SHEAR AND DECREASING SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES SHOULD CAUSE STEADY WEAKENING. THE NEW INTENSITY FORECAST IS SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS FORECAST UP TO THE PEAK INTENSITY AT 72 HR...AND SHOWS A FASTER WEAKENING RATE AFTER THAT TIME. FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS INIT 07/1500Z 14.8N 112.6W 35 KT 40 MPH 12H 08/0000Z 15.5N 114.2W 40 KT 45 MPH 24H 08/1200Z 16.3N 116.1W 45 KT 50 MPH 36H 09/0000Z 17.0N 117.9W 50 KT 60 MPH 48H 09/1200Z 17.3N 119.4W 55 KT 65 MPH 72H 10/1200Z 17.5N 121.0W 60 KT 70 MPH 96H 11/1200Z 17.5N 121.5W 50 KT 60 MPH 120H 12/1200Z 17.0N 121.5W 40 KT 45 MPH $$ FORECASTER BEVEN