WDPN32 PGTW 020300 MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI// SUBJ/PROGNOSTIC REASONING FOR TROPICAL DEPRESSION 17W (SAUDEL) WARNING NR 043// RMKS/ 1. FOR METEOROLOGISTS. 2. 6 HOUR SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS. SUMMARY: INITIAL POSITION: 22.1N 116.7E INITIAL INTENSITY: 30 KTS GEOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: 139 NM EAST OF HONG KONG MOVEMENT PAST 6 HOURS: NORTH-NORTHEASTWARD AT 08 KTS SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT: 15 FEET SATELLITE ANALYSIS, INITIAL POSITION AND INTENSITY DISCUSSION: ANIMATED MULTISPECTRAL SATELLITE IMAGERY (MSI) DEPICTS TROPICAL DEPRESSION (TD) 17W WITH A PARTIALLY EXPOSED LOW-LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER (LLCC) AND DEEP CONVECTION LIMITED TO THE WESTERN AND NORTHERN SIDES. WEAK EQUATORWARD OUTFLOW IS STILL EVIDENT IN ANIMATED WATER VAPOR IMAGERY. THE INITIAL POSITION IS PLACED WITH MEDIUM CONFIDENCE BASED ON THE PARTIALLY EXPOSED LLCC IN ANIMATED MSI AS THE CENTER IS APPARENTLY ELONGATED ALONG THE COAST OF CHINA. THE INITIAL INTENSITY OF 30 KTS IS ASSESSED WITH HIGH CONFIDENCE BASED ON THE AGENCY DVORAK FIXES AND CIMSS OBJECTIVE INTENSITY ESTIMATES. THE ENVIRONMENT IS CHARACTERIZED AS MARGINALLY FAVORABLE WITH WARM SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES BEING OFFSET BY LOW TO MODERATE VERTICAL WIND SHEAR (VWS), WEAK OUTFLOW ALOFT, AND THE PROXIMITY TO THE COAST OF CHINA. INITIAL WIND RADII BASIS: NOT APPLICABLE (THERE ARE NO INITIAL WIND RADII). CURRENT STEERING MECHANISM: THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF A NEAR EQUATORIAL RIDGE (NER) CENTERED OVER MINDANAO AGENCY DVORAK AND AUTOMATED FIXES: PGTW: T2.0 - 30 KTS RJTD: T2.0 - 30 KTS RCTP: T2.5 - 35 KTS KNES: T2.0 - 30 KTS CIMSS ADT: 32 KTS AT 012340Z CIMSS AIDT: 38 KTS AT 012340Z CIMSS D-MINT: 29 KTS AT 020001Z CIMSS D-PRINT: 30 KTS AT 020110Z FORECASTER ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT ENVIRONMENT: MARGINALLY FAVORABLE VWS: 10-15 KTS SST: 29-30 CELSIUS OUTFLOW: WEAK EQUATORWARD OTHER FACTORS: PROXIMITY TO THE COAST OF CHINA ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE: INITIAL POSITION: MEDIUM INITIAL INTENSITY: HIGH INITIAL WIND RADII: NOT APPLICABLE 3. FORECAST REASONING. SIGNIFICANT FORECAST CHANGES: THERE ARE NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE FORECAST FROM THE PREVIOUS WARNING. FORECAST DISCUSSION: TD 17W HAS CONTINUED TRACKING NORTHEASTWARD UNDER THE STEERING INFLUENCE OF THE NER TO THE SOUTHEAST. THE SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE ALONG A NORTHEASTWARD TRACK FOR THE NEXT 12 HOURS BEFORE TURNING POLEWARD THEN WESTWARD BETWEEN TAU 24-36 AS IT ENTERS A WEAKER STEERING ENVIRONMENT. A RIDGE BUILDING OVER EASTERN CHINA IS EXPECTED TO ASSERT SOME CONTROL AROUND TAU 36 AND STEER THE SYSTEM SOUTHWESTWARD ALONG THE COAST OF CHINA FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY ABOUT HOW SHARPLY THE TRACK WILL TURN SOUTHWESTWARD AND WHETHER THE VORTEX WILL BE JUST ONSHORE OR JUST OFFSHORE OF SOUTHEASTERN CHINA. THE FORECAST FAVORS THE FORMER SCENARIO WHICH IS EXPECTED TO RESULT IN A STEADY INTENSITY THROUGH LANDFALL AROUND TAU 36, THEN WEAKENING AND DISSIPATION OVER LAND BY TAU 72. MODEL DISCUSSION: MODEL TRACK GUIDANCE HAS COME INTO BETTER AGREEMENT ABOUT THE SHORT TERM NORTHEASTWARD TRACK FOLLOWED BY A TURN SOUTHWESTWARD AFTER LANDFALL, AROUND TAU 36. THE JTWC TRACK IS PLACED NEAR THE MULTI-MODEL CONSENSUS WITH MEDIUM CONFIDENCE GIVEN THE IMPROVEMENT IN AGREEMENT. THE AVAILABLE INTENSITY GUIDANCE REMAINS WITHIN A 10 KT ENVELOPE UP UNTIL LANDFALL AROUND TAU 36 AND THE JTWC INTENSITY FORECAST IS PLACED CLOSE TO THE MULTI-MODEL CONSENSUS WITH MEDIUM CONFIDENCE. FORECAST CONFIDENCE: TRACK 00-72 HR: MEDIUM INTENSITY 00-72 HR: MEDIUM// NNNN