WDXS32 PGTW 270300 MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI// SUBJ/PROGNOSTIC REASONING FOR TROPICAL CYCLONE 09S (GRANT) WARNING NR 020// RMKS/ 1. FOR METEOROLOGISTS. 2. 6 HOUR SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS. SUMMARY: INITIAL POSITION: 11.8S 90.1E INITIAL INTENSITY: 60 KTS GEOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: 400 NM WEST OF THE COCOS ISLANDS MOVEMENT PAST 6 HOURS: WESTWARD AT 08 KTS SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT: 20 FEET SATELLITE ANALYSIS, INITIAL POSITION AND INTENSITY DISCUSSION: ANIMATED MULTISPECTRAL SATELLITE IMAGERY (MSI) DEPICTS TROPICAL CYCLONE 09S (GRANT) WITH PERSISTENT DEEP CONVECTION SLIGHTLY OFFSET TO THE WEST OF A HIGHLY COMPACT LOW-LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER (LLCC). WITHIN THE STRONGEST CONVECTIVE BURSTS, THE CLOUD TOPS ARE MEASURING COLDER THAN -85 C. A 262353Z WSFM 37 GHZ MICROWAVE IMAGE REVEALED A WELL-DEFINED MICROWAVE EYE FEATURE, LENDING HIGH CONFIDENCE TO THE INITIAL POSITION. THE INITIAL INTENSITY OF 60 KTS IS ASSESSED WITH MEDIUM CONFIDENCE BASED ON THE AGENCY DVORAK FIXES AND CIMSS OBJECTIVE ESTIMATES LISTED BELOW. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT 09S IS IN A MARGINALLY FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT CHARACTERIZED BY MODERATE POLEWARD OUTFLOW ALOFT, MODERATE (15-20 KTS) EASTERLY VERTICAL WIND SHEAR, AND WARM (27-28 C) SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES. INITIAL WIND RADII BASIS: OBJECTIVE BEST TRACK CURRENT STEERING MECHANISM: NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF A SUBTROPICAL RIDGE (STR) POSITIONED TO THE SOUTH AGENCY DVORAK AND AUTOMATED FIXES: PGTW: T3.5 - 55 KTS DEMS: T3.5 - 55 KTS APRF: T3.5 - 55 KTS CIMSS ADT: 55 KTS AT 270015Z CIMSS AIDT: 56 KTS AT 270015Z CIMSS D-MINT: 51 KTS AT 270019Z CIMSS D-PRINT: 55 KTS AT 262345Z FORECASTER ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT ENVIRONMENT: MARGINALLY FAVORABLE VWS: 15-20 KTS SST: 27-28 CELSIUS OUTFLOW: MODERATE POLEWARD 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: TC 09S IS FORECAST TO TRACK WEST-SOUTHWESTWARD, ALONG THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE STR TO THE SOUTH THROUGH TAU 72. NEAR TAU 72, A SECOND STR IS EXPECTED TO BUILD TO THE SOUTH OF THE SYSTEM, CAUSING 09S TO CONTINUE ON A WEST-SOUTHWESTWARD TRAJECTORY THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. REGARDING INTENSITY, 09S IS FORECAST TO MAINTAIN INTENSITY OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS AS EASTERLY SHEAR CONTINUES TO IMPACT THE VORTEX. AROUND TAU 24, THE SHEAR IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DECREASING, ALLOWING FOR THE VORTEX TO BECOME MORE VERTICALLY ALIGNED. AS A RESULT, 09S IS FORECAST TO INTENSIFY FROM TAU 24 TO TAU 72, UP TO A PEAK OF AROUND 80 KTS. EASTERLY SHEAR IS THEN FORECAST TO INCREASE AFTER TAU 72, CAUSING THE INTENSIFICATION TREND TO COME TO A HALT. ADDITIONALLY, DRY AIR WILL BEGIN TO ENTRAIN INTO THE SYSTEM FROM THE NORTH. THESE TWO FACTORS WILL CAUSE 09S TO WEAKEN FROM TAU 96 THROUGH THE END OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. MODEL DISCUSSION: NUMERICAL MODEL TRACK GUIDANCE IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH NO NOTABLE OUTLIERS. CROSS-TRACK SPREAD AT TAU 72 IS 90 NM WHICH OPENS UP TO 150 NM AT TAU 120. ALONG-TRACK SPREAD DOES INCREASE TO AROUND 200 NM AT TAU 120 THOUGH. THE JTWC TRACK FORECAST IS PLACED CLOSE TO THE MULTI-MODEL CONSENSUS WITH HIGH CONFIDENCE THROUGH TAU 72 AND MEDIUM CONFIDENCE THEREAFTER. INTENSITY GUIDANCE HAS ONE SIGNIFICANT OUTLIER IN HAFS-A. IT SUGGESTS A PEAK INTENSITY OF OVER 125 KTS AT TAU 60, WHICH IS CONSIDERABLY HIGHER THAN THE REMAINDER OF GUIDANCE. THE REST OF THE INTENSITY GUIDANCE FALLS WITHIN THE 60-80 KNOT RANGE FOR THE PEAK. THE JTWC INTENSITY FORECAST IS PLACED NEAR THE CONSENSUS WITH OVERALL MEDIUM CONFIDENCE. FORECAST CONFIDENCE: TRACK 00-72 HR: HIGH TRACK 72-120 HR: MEDIUM INTENSITY 00-72 HR: MEDIUM INTENSITY 72-120 HR: MEDIUM// NNNN