000 WTPZ43 KNHC 240240 TCDEP3 TROPICAL STORM GENEVIEVE DISCUSSION NUMBER 11 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL EP082008 800 PM PDT WED JUL 23 2008 LATEST CONVENTIONAL SATELLITE IMAGERY SUGGEST THAT GENEVIEVE IS STRUGGLING. HOWEVER...DVORAK CI NUMBERS ARE UNCHANGED AND THE ADVISORY INTENSITY IS HELD AT 50 KT. GENEVIEVE HAS CROSSED THE COOLER WATERS LEFT IN THE WAKE OF FAUSTO AND SHOULD ENCOUNTER WARMER SSTS DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. ADDITIONALLY...VERTICAL SHEAR HAS WEAKENED AND UPPER-LEVEL OUTFLOW HAS IMPROVED. THESE TRENDS SUGGEST STRENGTHENING DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS PRIOR TO SHEAR INCREASING IN 2 TO 3 DAYS. UNFORTUNATELY...THE VARIOUS INTENSITY MODELS PROVIDE DIFFERING FORECASTS RANGING FROM LITTLE OR NO STRENGTHENING AS SHOWN BY THE SHIPS AND LGEM STATISTICAL MODELS...TO THE DYNAMICAL HWRF AND GFDL MODELS...WHICH SHOW GENEVIEVE REACHING 71 KT AND 82 KT...RESPECTIVELY. SINCE IT IS NOT CLEAR WHICH ONE OF THESE SOLUTIONS IS MORE LIKELY...THE OFFICIAL FORECAST SPLITS THE DIFFERENCE AND SHOWS GENEVIEVE BECOMING A MINIMAL HURRICANE IN 36 HOURS. THEREAFTER...WEAKENING IS ANTICIPATED AS VERTICAL SHEAR INCREASES AND GENEVIEVE MOVES OVER COOLER WATERS. GENEVIEVE IS MOVING RIGHT ALONG THE PREVIOUS FORECAST TRACK AND THE THE INITIAL MOTION ESTIMATE IS ESSENTIALLY UNCHANGED...270/9. A MIDDLE TO UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE TO THE NORTH OF GENEVIEVE SHOULD KEEP THE CYCLONE ON A WESTWARD TO WEST-NORTHWESTWARD HEADING THROUGH MUCH OF THE FORECAST. TRACK MODELS HAVE NOT CHANGED MUCH AND THE NEW OFFICIAL FORECAST IS MERELY AN UPDATE OF THE PREVIOUS ONE. FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS INITIAL 24/0300Z 15.0N 111.3W 50 KT 12HR VT 24/1200Z 15.1N 112.3W 50 KT 24HR VT 25/0000Z 15.3N 113.8W 60 KT 36HR VT 25/1200Z 15.5N 115.3W 65 KT 48HR VT 26/0000Z 15.9N 117.0W 60 KT 72HR VT 27/0000Z 17.0N 120.5W 45 KT 96HR VT 28/0000Z 18.0N 124.0W 35 KT 120HR VT 29/0000Z 19.0N 127.5W 30 KT $$ FORECASTER RHOME