WDXS31 PGTW 212100 MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI// SUBJ/PROGNOSTIC REASONING FOR TROPICAL CYCLONE 02S (BHEKI) WARNING NR 016// RMKS/ 1. FOR METEOROLOGISTS. 2. 6 HOUR SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS. SUMMARY: INITIAL POSITION: 22.1S 56.0E INITIAL INTENSITY: 40 KTS GEOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: 104 NM SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF ST DENIS MOVEMENT PAST 6 HOURS: SOUTHWESTWARD AT 07 KTS SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT: 16 FEET SATELLITE ANALYSIS, INITIAL POSITION AND INTENSITY DISCUSSION: ANIMATED ENHANCED INFRARED (EIR) SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTS TROPICAL CYCLONE 02S WITH A PARTIALLY EXPOSED LOW-LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER (LLCC) AND A LARGE AREA OF CONVECTION BEING SHEARED OFF TO THE SOUTHEAST. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT 02S IS IN AN UNFAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT CHARACTERIZED BY HIGH (40-45 KTS) VERTICAL WIND SHEAR, SIGNIFICANT DRY AIR ENTRAINMENT, AND COOL (25-26 C) SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES SLIGHTLY OFFSET BY STRONG POLEWARD OUTFLOW. THE INITIAL POSITION AND INTENSITY ARE BOTH PLACED WITH HIGH CONFIDENCE BASED ON A 211740Z ASCAT-C IMAGE SHOWING 35-40 KNOT WINDS WITHIN THE SOUTHERN PERIPHERY. INITIAL WIND RADII BASIS: SCATTEROMETER DATA CURRENT STEERING MECHANISM: WESTERN PERIPHERY OF THE MID-LEVEL SUBTROPICAL RIDGE (STR) POSITIONED TO THE EAST OF THE SYSTEM. AGENCY DVORAK AND AUTOMATED FIXES: PGTW: T1.5 - 25 KTS KNES: T1.0 - 25 KTS DEMS: T1.5 - 25 KTS FMEE: T3.0 - 45 KTS FIMP: T2.5 - 35 KTS CIMSS SATCON: 42 KTS AT 211900Z CIMSS ADT: 39 KTS AT 211900Z CIMSS AIDT: 40 KTS AT 211900Z FORECASTER ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT ENVIRONMENT: UNFAVORABLE VWS: 40-45 KTS SST: 25-26 CELSIUS OUTFLOW: STRONG POLEWARD OTHER FACTORS: SIGNIFICANT DRY AIR ENTRAINMENT ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE: INITIAL POSITION: HIGH INITIAL INTENSITY: HIGH INITIAL WIND RADII: HIGH 3. FORECAST REASONING. SIGNIFICANT FORECAST CHANGES: RESTARTED WARNINGS DUE TO HIGHER INTENSITY THAN PREVIOUSLY FORECAST. FORECAST DISCUSSION: 02S IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE TRACKING GENERALLY SOUTHWESTWARD THROUGH THE ENTIRETY OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. DRY AIR AND HIGH VERTICAL WIND SHEAR ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN ACTING ON THE SYSTEM, HOWEVER THE STRONG POLEWARD OUTFLOW INTO A JET MAX DISPLACED TO THE SOUTHEAST OF THE SYSTEM WILL ENABLE A SLOWER WEAKENING TREND. AS A RESULT, 02S IS FORECAST TO WEAKEN BELOW TROPICAL STORM STRENGTH AROUND TAU 48. THERE IS A CHANCE THAT THE SHEAR AND DRY AIR WILL RIP THE VORTEX APART SOONER THAN TAU 48 AS 02S MOVES FURTHER POLEWARD THOUGH. MODEL DISCUSSION: NUMERICAL MODEL GUIDANCE IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT REGARDING THE TRACK OF 02S WITH A 71 NM CROSS-TRACK SPREAD AT TAU 48. THE JTWC TRACK FORECAST IS PLACED CLOSE TO CONSENSUS WITH HIGH CONFIDENCE. INTENSITY GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THAT 02S WILL MAINTAIN INTENSITY THROUGH TAU 24 AND THEN WEAKEN THEREAFTER. THE JTWC INTENSITY FORECAST IS PLACED A BIT BELOW CONSENSUS THROUGH TAU 24 DUE TO THE UNFAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT AND THEN CLOSE TO CONSENSUS THEREAFTER WITH MEDIUM CONFIDENCE. FORECAST CONFIDENCE: TRACK 0 - 72 HR: HIGH INTENSITY 0 - 72 HR: MEDIUM// NNNN