WDPN31 PGTW 012100 MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI// SUBJ/PROGNOSTIC REASONING FOR TROPICAL STORM 12W (KROSA) WARNING NR 037// RMKS/ 1. FOR METEOROLOGISTS. 2. 6 HOUR SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS. SUMMARY: INITIAL POSITION: 35.2N 141.8E INITIAL INTENSITY: 55 KTS GEOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: 75 NM EAST-SOUTHEAST OF NARITA AIRPORT MOVEMENT PAST 6 HOURS: NORTH-NORTHEASTWARD AT 09 KTS SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT: 25 FEET SATELLITE ANALYSIS, INITIAL POSITION AND INTENSITY DISCUSSION: ANIMATED ENHANCED INFRARED (EIR) SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTS NEARLY FULLY EXPOSED, RAGGED LOW-LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER (LLCC) OF TROPICAL STORM (TS) 12W (KROSA). ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS REVEALS MARGINALLY FAVORABLE CONDITIONS CHARACTERIZED BY WARM (27-28 C) SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES (SST), LOW (5-10 KTS) VERTICAL WIND SHEAR (VWS) AND MODERATE POLEWARD OUTFLOW ALOFT, OFFSET BY INCREASING DRY AIR ENTRAINMENT. THE INITIAL POSITION IS PLACED WITH HIGH CONFIDENCE BASED ON THE ANIMATED SHORTWAVE INFRARED SATELLITE IMAGERY, SUPPORTED BY A 011800Z PROXYVIS IMAGE. THE INITIAL INTENSITY OF 55 KTS IS ASSESSED WITH MEDIUM CONFIDENCE BASED ON A 011555Z GCOMW1 AMSR2 WIND SPEED PRODUCT SHOWING WIND SPEEDS OF 50-55 KTS WITHIN THE SOUTHEASTERN QUADRANT OF THE CIRCULATION, AS WELL AS THE AGENCY DVORAK AND OBJECTIVE FIXES LISTED BELOW. INITIAL WIND RADII BASIS: A 011555Z GCOMW1 AMSR2 WIND SPEED DATA CURRENT STEERING MECHANISM: DEEP-LAYER SUBTROPICAL RIDGE (STR) TO THE SOUTHEAST AGENCY DVORAK AND AUTOMATED FIXES: PGTW: T3.5 - 55 KTS RJTD: T3.0 - 45 KTS RCTP: T4.0 - 65 KTS KNES: T4.0 - 65 KTS CIMSS SATCON: 54 KTS AT 011600Z CIMSS ADT: 34 KTS AT 011830Z CIMSS AIDT: 42 KTS AT 011830Z CIMSS D-MINT: 57 KTS AT 011642Z CIMSS D-PRINT: 53 KTS AT 011830Z FORECASTER ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT ENVIRONMENT: MARGINALLY FAVORABLE VWS: 5-10 KTS SST: 27-28 CELSIUS OUTFLOW: MODERATE POLEWARD OTHER FACTORS: DRY AIR ENTRAINMENT ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE: INITIAL POSITION: HIGH INITIAL INTENSITY: MEDIUM INITIAL WIND RADII: MEDIUM 3. FORECAST REASONING. SIGNIFICANT FORECAST CHANGES: THERE ARE NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE FORECAST FROM THE PREVIOUS WARNING. FORECAST DISCUSSION: TS 12W IS FORECAST TO TRACK EAST-NORTHEASTWARD UNDER THE PRIMARY INFLUENCE OF A DEEP-LAYER STR CENTERED TO THE SOUTHEAST. WHILE THE SYSTEM IS TRANSITING OVER WARM WATERS OF THE KUROSHIO CURRENT, IT HAS POTENTIAL FOR SLIGHT INTENSIFICATION OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS, OR AT LEAST MAINTAIN INTENSITY. AFTER TAU 24, INCREASINGLY HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT, INCLUDING INCREASING VWS, COOLING SST AND CONTINUOUS DRY AIR ENTRAINMENT WILL RESULT IN GRADUAL WEAKENING. AROUND TAU 48 HOWEVER, TS 12W IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN INTERACTING WITH THE BAROCLINIC ZONE TO THE NORTH, AS THE SYSTEM APPROACHES AND EVENTUALLY MERGES WITH A DEEP-LAYER WESTERLY FLOW. TS KROSA WILL WEAKEN TO 30 KTS AS IT COMPLETES EXTRATROPICAL TRANSITION BY TAU 72. MODEL DISCUSSION: DETERMINISTIC TRACK MODEL GUIDANCE IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGHOUT THE FORECAST PERIOD, AS WITNESSED BY A SUB-100 NM CROSS-TRACK SPREAD AT TAU 72. ALONG-TRACK SPREAD IS ALSO IN GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH THE INITIAL 36-48 HOURS, HOWEVER THE TRANSLATION SPEED UNCERTAINTY INCREASES AFTERWARDS. IN REGARD TO INTENSITY, MODEL GUIDANCE IS IN FAIR AGREEMENT, WITH ALL MODELS INDICATING WEAKENING AFTER TAU 24. PRIOR TO THAT HOWEVER, GFS INDICATES POTENTIAL FOR SLIGHT INTENSIFICATION (UP TO 60 KTS PEAK), WHILE OTHER MODELS (COAMPS-TC, HAFS, STATISTICAL-DYNAMICAL) INDICATE SLOW WEAKENING BEGINNING IMMEDIATELY. JTWC FORECAST IS LAID WITH MEDIUM CONFIDENCE, WITHIN 5 KTS, ON THE HIGHER SIDE OF THE MULTI-MODEL CONSENSUS THROUGHOUT THE FORECAST PERIOD. FORECAST CONFIDENCE: TRACK 00-72 HR: MEDIUM INTENSITY 00-72 HR: MEDIUM// NNNN