WDPN31 PGTW 081500 MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI// SUBJ/PROGNOSTIC REASONING FOR TROPICAL DEPRESSION 22W (KROVANH) WARNING NR 030// RMKS/ 1. FOR METEOROLOGISTS. 2. 6 HOUR SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS. SUMMARY: INITIAL POSITION: 31.9N 133.1E INITIAL INTENSITY: 30 KTS GEOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: 153 NM SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF IWAKUNI, JAPAN MOVEMENT PAST 6 HOURS: NORTH-NORTHEASTWARD AT 08 KTS SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT: 14 FEET SATELLITE ANALYSIS, INITIAL POSITION AND INTENSITY DISCUSSION: ANIMATED ENHANCED INFRARED (EIR) SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTS TROPICAL DEPRESSION 22W (KROVANH) WITH A FULLY EXPOSED LOW-LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER (LLCC) THAT IS NOW NEARLY COMPLETELY VOID OF DEEP CONVECTION. A 081115Z METOP-B ASCAT PASS REVEALED A DEFINED CENTER WITH 30 KNOT WINDS ALONG THE WESTERN AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE CIRCULATION. THE INITIAL POSITION AND INTENSITY ARE BOTH PLACED WITH HIGH CONFIDENCE BASED ON THE TIMELY ASCAT DATA. THE AGENCY DVORAK FIXES AND CIMSS INTENSITY ESTIMATES LISTED BELOW FURTHER SUPPORT THE INITIAL INTENSITY ASSESSMENT. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT 22W REMAINS PLACED WITHIN AN UNFAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT CHARACTERIZED BY STRONG POLEWARD OUTFLOW ALOFT AND WARM (28-29 C) SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES GREATLY OFFSET BY MODERATE TO HIGH (20-25 KTS) SOUTHERLY VERTICAL WIND SHEAR AND EXTENSIVE DRY AIR ENTRAINMENT. INITIAL WIND RADII BASIS: NOT APPLICABLE (THERE ARE NO INITIAL WIND RADII). CURRENT STEERING MECHANISM: THE NORTHWESTERN FLANK OF THE SUBTROPICAL RIDGE (STR) CENTERED SOUTHEAST OF JAPAN AGENCY DVORAK AND AUTOMATED FIXES: PGTW: T2.0 - 30 KTS RJTD: T1.0 - 25 KTS CIMSS ADT: 32 KTS AT 081210Z CIMSS AIDT: 35 KTS AT 081210Z CIMSS D-PRINT: 28 KTS AT 081210Z FORECASTER ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT ENVIRONMENT: UNFAVORABLE VWS: 20-25 KTS SST: 28-29 CELSIUS OUTFLOW: STRONG POLEWARD OTHER FACTORS: SIGNIFICANT DRY AIR ENTRAINMENT ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE: INITIAL POSITION: HIGH 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 22W HAS STARTED ON ITS NORTHEASTWARD TURN OVER THE PAST 6 HOURS, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE EAST-NORTHEASTWARD OVER THE NEXT 12 HOURS AS THE SYSTEM CONTINUES TO ROUND THE STR. NEAR TAU 12, THE SYSTEM WILL SKIRT THE SOUTHERN COAST OF JAPAN, NEAR THE SHIKOKU AND KANSAI REGIONS WITH INCREASING TRACK SPEEDS. 22W WILL BE HEAVILY IMPACTED BY THE STATIONARY FRONTAL BOUNDARY THAT IS CURRENTLY DRAPED ACROSS HONSHU, CAUSING THE CIRCULATION TO BECOME STRETCHED AND LIKELY MOVE UNPREDICTABLY. IN TERMS OF INTENSITY, 22W IS FORECAST TO BEGIN WEAKENING AS IT APPROACHES THE COAST DUE PRIMARILY TO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING SOUTHWESTERLY VERTICAL WIND SHEAR (OVER 40 KTS). ONCE THE SYSTEM BEGINS TO INTERACT WITH THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN OF JAPAN, 22W WILL QUICKLY WEAKEN WITH DISSIPATION EXPECTED TO OCCUR AROUND TAU 24. EVEN THOUGH THE VORTEX ASSOCIATED WITH 22W LIKELY BECOMES ABSORBED WITHIN THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY, LOCALIZED AREAS OF ENHANCED WINDS MAY PERSIST IN AREAS SUCH AS WAKAYAMA BAY AND ISE BAY DUE TO TOPOGRAPHIC FUNNELING EFFECTS. MODEL DISCUSSION: MODEL TRACK GUIDANCE AGREES ON THE EAST-NORTHEASTWARD TURN THROUGH TAU 24 WITH MINIMAL CROSS-TRACK SPREAD. HOWEVER, ALONG-TRACK SPREAD CONTINUES TO BE HIGH DUE TO MODELS VARYING IN THE SPEED OF ADVANCE AROUND THE RIDGE. THE JTWC TRACK FORECAST IS PLACED NEAR THE MULTI-MODEL CONSENSUS THROUGHOUT THE SHORT FORECAST PERIOD WITH MEDIUM CONFIDENCE. INTENSITY GUIDANCE GENERALLY AGREES ON RAPID WEAKENING AFTER LANDFALL. SOME MODELS DO SHOW OFFSHORE WINDS REMAINING AROUND 30 KTS THROUGH TAU 24, THOUGH THE ACTUAL VORTEX OF 22W WASHES OUT OVER LAND. AS A RESULT, THE JTWC INTENSITY FORECAST IS PLACED SLIGHTLY BELOW THE CONSENSUS. FORECAST CONFIDENCE: TRACK 00-72 HR: MEDIUM INTENSITY 00-72 HR: MEDIUM// NNNN