WDPN31 PGTW 082100 MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI// SUBJ/PROGNOSTIC REASONING FOR TROPICAL STORM 15E (NOLO) WARNING NR 073// RMKS/ 1. FOR METEOROLOGISTS. 2. 6 HOUR SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS. SUMMARY: INITIAL POSITION: 27.8N 151.1E INITIAL INTENSITY: 50 KTS GEOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: 745 NM SOUTHEAST OF TOKYO, JAPAN MOVEMENT PAST 6 HOURS: WEST-NORTHWESTWARD AT 15 KTS SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT: 27 FEET SATELLITE ANALYSIS, INITIAL POSITION AND INTENSITY DISCUSSION: TS 15E HAS STRUGGLED TO MAINTAIN INTENSITY OVER THE PAST SIX HOURS. ANIMATED ENHANCED INFRARED (EIR) SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTS A NEAR DISSIPATION OF ALL DEEP CONVECTION, BUT A STILL TIGHTLY WRAPPED MID-LEVEL CIRCULATION. THE INITIAL POSITION IS PLACED WITH MEDIUM CONFIDENCE NEAR THE MID-POINT OF RECENT FIXES FROM PGTW, RJTD, AND RCTP AND IS CONSISTENT WITH EXTRAPOLATION FROM THE PREVIOUS BEST TRACK POSITION. THE INITIAL INTENSITY OF 50 KTS IS ASSESSED WITH MEDIUM CONFIDENCE BASED ON THE HIGH END OF AVAILABLE SUBJECTIVE DVORAK AND AUTOMATED INTENSITY ESTIMATES TO ACCOUNT FOR A POTENTIAL LOW BIAS IN THOSE TECHNIQUES DUE TO THE RECENT, AND LIKELY TEMPORARY, DISSIPATION OF DEEP CONVECTION OVER THE CIRCULATION. INITIAL WIND RADII BASIS: OBJECTIVE BEST TRACK AND PERSISTENCE CURRENT STEERING MECHANISM: DEEP-LAYER SUBTROPICAL RIDGE (STR) TO THE NORTHEAST AGENCY DVORAK AND AUTOMATED FIXES: PGTW: T3.0 - 45 KTS RJTD: T3.5 - 55 KTS RCTP: T3.0 - 45 KTS CIMSS ADT: 37 KTS AT 081750Z CIMSS AIDT: 41 KTS AT 081810Z CIMSS D-MINT: 39 KTS AT 081542Z CIMSS D-PRINT: 49 KTS AT 081810Z FORECASTER ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT ENVIRONMENT: MARGINALLY FAVORABLE VWS: 10-15 KTS SST: 28-29 CELSIUS OUTFLOW: MODERATE POLEWARD AND EQUATORWARD ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE: INITIAL POSITION: MEDIUM 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 15E WILL TURN POLEWARD AND EASTWARD AROUND THE WESTERN PERIPHERY OF THE CURRENT STEERING RIDGE DURING THE 72 HOUR FORECAST PERIOD. THE SYSTEM WILL INTERACT WITH A SHALLOW SHORTWAVE TROUGH APPROACHING FROM THE WEST AND COMPLETE EXTRATROPICAL TRANSITION AFTER TAU 48. DESPITE NOTED TRENDS IN SATELLITE IMAGERY, TS 15E IS EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY SLIGHTLY OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS AS IT PASSES OVER SUFFICIENTLY WARM WATER, VERTICAL WIND SHEAR REMAINS LOW TO MODERATE, AND IS IMPACTED BY A FAVORABLE OUTFLOW PATTERN SUPPORTING RENEWED CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY. HOWEVER, AFTER TAU 24 THE SYSTEM WILL ENCOUNTER INCREASING VERTICAL WIND SHEAR AND ENTRAINMENT OF DRIER AIR FROM THE WEST AS IT ROUNDS THE STEERING RIDGE AXIS, DRIVING A STEADY WEAKENING TREND. FAVORABLE BAROCLINIC SUPPORT SHOULD ALLOW THE SYSTEM TO MAINTAIN TROPICAL STORM LEVEL INTENSITY AS IT COMPLETES EXTRATROPICAL TRANSITION. MODEL DISCUSSION: NUMERICAL MODEL TRACK AND INTENSITY FORECAST GUIDANCE ARE BOTH IN GOOD AGREEMENT REGARDING THE OVERALL SCENARIO, INCLUDING A TIGHT TURN AROUND THE STEERING RIDGE AND SLIGHT NEAR-TERM INTENSIFICATION FOLLOWED BY GRADUAL WEAKENING AFTER TAU 24. PHYSICAL-BASED MODELS BROADLY DEPICT A WIDER AND SLOWER TURN THAN THE AI-BASED MODELS, RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT CROSS-TRACK AND ALONG-TRACK SPREAD BY TAU 72. THERE IS NO CLEAR FACTOR FAVORING EITHER SOLUTION SET, AND OVERALL SPREAD AMONG ALL OF THE AVAILABLE GUIDANCE IS SPREAD EVENLY BETWEEN THE WESTERN AND EASTERN EDGES OF THE ENVELOPE. THE CURRENT FORECAST LIES ALONG A PLAUSIBLE TRACK IN THE MID-POINT OF ALL GUIDANCE, JUST SLIGHTLY TO THE WEST OF THE PREVIOUS JTWC TRACK FORECAST AS THE SYSTEM MAKES THE TURN. THE INTENSITY FORECAST IS CONSISTENT WITH CONSENSUS GUIDANCE AND THE PREVIOUS FORECAST, WITH UNCERTAINTY PRIMARILY CONFINED TO THE NEXT 24 HOURS GIVEN FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS BUT A POOR SATELLITE PRESENTATION. FORECAST CONFIDENCE: TRACK 00-72 HR: MEDIUM INTENSITY 00-72 HR: MEDIUM// NNNN