000 WTPZ45 KNHC 062035 TCDEP5 TROPICAL STORM OLIVIA DISCUSSION NUMBER 2 NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL EP152012 200 PM PDT SAT OCT 06 2012 THE CYCLONE HAS BECOME BETTER ORGANIZED DURING THE LAST SEVERAL HOURS. A CONVECTIVE CLOUD BAND HAS GAINED CURVATURE OVER THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT OF THE CIRCULATION AND A CENTRAL DENSE OVERCAST HAS PERSISTED. DVORAK CLASSIFICATIONS HAVE INCREASED TO T3.0/45 KT FROM SAB...T2.5/35 KT FROM TAFB...AND T2.4/34 KT FROM UW-CIMSS. BASED ON THESE CLASSIFICATIONS...THE INITIAL WIND SPEED ESTIMATE IS 40 KT...AND THE DEPRESSION IS UPGRADED TO TROPICAL STORM OLIVIA. OLIVIA HAS A COUPLE OF DAYS TO STRENGTHEN AS THE SHEAR IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN FAIRLY LOW AND THE CYCLONE SHOULD BE OVER WATERS AROUND 28C DURING THAT TIME. AFTER 48 HOURS...SOUTHWESTERLY SHEAR IS ANTICIPATED TO INCREASE...AND VERTICAL CROSS SECTIONS FROM THE GFS AND ECMWF MODELS SHOW THE VORTEX BECOMING SHALLOWER WITH DEEP-LAYER DRY AIR IMPINGING ON THE SYSTEM. THE NHC FORECAST IS ADJUSTED UPWARD FROM THE PREVIOUS ONE...AND CLOSELY FOLLOWS THE CONSENSUS AIDS. REMNANT LOW STATUS IS PREDICTED TO OCCUR AROUND DAY 5...A LITTLE LATER THAN IN THE OLD FORECAST. THE TROPICAL STORM IS MOVING WESTWARD AT ABOUT 10 KT TO THE SOUTH OF A MID-LEVEL RIDGE THAT IS CENTERED JUST TO THE WEST OF BAJA CALIFORNIA. THE RIDGE IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN AS A DEEP-LAYER LOW CURRENTLY LOCATED A FEW HUNDRED MILES WEST OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA MOVES SOUTHEASTWARD. THIS PATTERN EVOLUTION SHOULD CAUSE OLIVIA TO TURN WEST-NORTHWESTWARD AND THEN NORTHWESTWARD WITH A DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED DURING THE NEXT TWO DAYS. BY TUESDAY...THE WEAKENING SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO TURN BACK TO THE WEST OR POSSIBLY EVEN SOUTHWEST AS IT BECOMES VERTICALLY SHALLOW AND IS STEERED BY THE LOW-LEVEL TRADES. FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS INIT 06/2100Z 13.9N 119.6W 40 KT 45 MPH 12H 07/0600Z 14.4N 120.7W 45 KT 50 MPH 24H 07/1800Z 15.2N 121.8W 50 KT 60 MPH 36H 08/0600Z 15.8N 122.3W 55 KT 65 MPH 48H 08/1800Z 16.1N 122.6W 55 KT 65 MPH 72H 09/1800Z 16.1N 123.5W 45 KT 50 MPH 96H 10/1800Z 15.8N 125.0W 35 KT 40 MPH 120H 11/1800Z 15.5N 126.5W 25 KT 30 MPH...POST-TROP/REMNT LOW $$ FORECASTER CANGIALOSI