WDXS32 PGTW 280300 MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI// SUBJ/PROGNOSTIC REASONING FOR TROPICAL CYCLONE 09S (GRANT) WARNING NR 022// RMKS/ 1. FOR METEOROLOGISTS. 2. 6 HOUR SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS. SUMMARY: INITIAL POSITION: 12.3S 86.7E INITIAL INTENSITY: 65 KTS GEOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: 896 NM EAST-SOUTHEAST OF DIEGO GARCIA MOVEMENT PAST 6 HOURS: WEST-SOUTHWESTWARD AT 08 KTS SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT: 22 FEET SATELLITE ANALYSIS, INITIAL POSITION AND INTENSITY DISCUSSION: ANIMATED ENHANCED INFRARED (EIR) SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTS TROPICAL CYCLONE 09S (GRANT) WITH A HIGHLY COMPACT CENTRAL DENSE OVERCAST (CDO) OBSCURING THE LOW-LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER (LLCC). CLOUD TOPS WITHIN THE CORE OF THE SYSTEM ARE NOW MEASURING COLDER THAN -90 C IN SOME AREAS. THE INITIAL POSITION IS PLACED WITH HIGH CONFIDENCE BASED ON THE ANIMATED EIR IMAGERY. THE INITIAL INTENSITY OF 65 KTS IS ASSESSED WITH MEDIUM CONFIDENCE BASED ON THE AGENCY DVORAK FIXES ALL AGREEING ON T4.0. ADDITIONALLY, THE CIMSS OBJECTIVE ESTIMATES RANGING FROM 59-72 KTS FURTHER SUPPORT THE INITIAL INTENSITY ASSESSMENT. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT 09S IS IN A MARGINALLY FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT CHARACTERIZED BY MODERATE POLEWARD OUTFLOW ALOFT, LOW (10-15 KTS) EASTERLY VERTICAL WIND SHEAR, AND WARM (27-28 C) SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES. INITIAL WIND RADII BASIS: PERSISTENCE FROM THE 1607Z METOP-C ASCAT PASS WITH SLIGHT ADJUSTMENTS BASED ON THE OBJECTIVE BEST TRACK. CURRENT STEERING MECHANISM: SUBTROPICAL RIDGE (STR) POSITIONED TO THE SOUTH AGENCY DVORAK AND AUTOMATED FIXES: PGTW: T4.0 - 65 KTS DEMS: T4.0 - 65 KTS FMEE: T4.0 - 65 KTS FIMP: T4.0 - 65 KTS CIMSS SATCON: 59 KTS AT 272215Z CIMSS ADT: 72 KTS AT 280015Z CIMSS AIDT: 68 KTS AT 280015Z CIMSS D-PRINT: 59 KTS AT 280015Z FORECASTER ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT ENVIRONMENT: MARGINALLY FAVORABLE VWS: 10-15 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 48. NEAR TAU 48, A SECOND STR IS EXPECTED TO BUILD TO THE SOUTHWEST OF 09S AND PROPAGATE EASTWARD, KEEPING THE TRAJECTORY FIRMLY WEST-SOUTHWESTWARD THROUGH TAU 96. NEAR TAU 96, 09S IS FORECAST TO BEGIN INTERACTING WITH RIDGING THAT EXTENDS FROM EASTERN AFRICA OVER NORTHERN MADAGASCAR, CAUSING THE TRACK TO SHIFT WEST-NORTHWESTWARD NEAR THE END OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. REGARDING INTENSITY, 09S IS FORECAST TO INTENSIFY OVER THE NEXT 36-48 HOURS AS EASTERLY SHEAR LESSENS AND POLEWARD OUTFLOW BECOMES ENHANCED BY A PASSING UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH TO THE SOUTH. AFTER TAU 48, SHEAR IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE AND OUTFLOW DECREASE CAUSING THE SYSTEM TO BEGIN WEAKENING. ADDITIONALLY, DRY AIR ENTRAINMENT FROM THE NORTH WILL FURTHER AID IN WEAKENING THE SYSTEM THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. MODEL DISCUSSION: NUMERICAL MODEL TRACK GUIDANCE REMAINS IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH NO NOTABLE OUTLIERS. THE JTWC TRACK FORECAST IS PLACED CLOSE TO THE MULTI-MODEL CONSENSUS WITH HIGH CONFIDENCE. INTENSITY GUIDANCE IS SPLIT WITH GFS AND COAMPS-TC CALLING FOR A STEADY INTENSITY THROUGH TAU 96 WHILE HAFS-A AND HWRF CALL FOR INTENSIFICATION THROUGH TAU 48 BEFORE STEADY WEAKENING. HAFS-A CONTINUES TO BE THE MOST AGGRESSIVE MODEL SHOWING A PEAK INTENSITY OF AROUND 110 KTS AT TAU 48. THE JTWC INTENSITY FORECAST IS PLACED NEAR THE CONSENSUS, AND IN LINE WITH THE PREVIOUS FORECAST, WITH OVERALL MEDIUM CONFIDENCE. FORECAST CONFIDENCE: TRACK 00-72 HR: HIGH TRACK 72-120 HR: HIGH INTENSITY 00-72 HR: MEDIUM INTENSITY 72-120 HR: MEDIUM// NNNN