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TCDAT5 TROPICAL DEPRESSION TEN DISCUSSION NUMBER 1 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 5 PM EDT SAT SEP 14 2002 AN AIR FORCE PLANE INVESTIGATED THE TROPICAL WAVE APPROACHING THE SOUTHERN WINDWARD ISLANDS AND FOUND A SMALL CLOSED CIRCULATION WITH 20 TO 25 KNOT WINDS AND A MINIMUM PRESSURE OF 1009 MB. HIGH RESOLUTION VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGES SHOW THAT THE DEPRESSION HAS A LARGE ENVELOPE...CURVED BANDS AND AN EXCELLENT OUTFLOW. DESPITE THE EXCELLENT UPPER-LEVEL ENVIRONMENT...NO CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS BECAUSE THE DEPRESSION WILL BE INTERACTING WITH LAND AND IS MOVING TOO FAST. THEREAFTER...IF IT SURVIVES THE EFFECTS OF LAND...SOME STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE. THIS IS NOT EXPECTED UNTIL THE CYCLONE REACHES THE CENTRAL OR WESTERN CARIBBEAN SEA AND DECREASES ITS FORWARD SPEED. BOTH SHIPS AND GFDL INTENSIFY THE DEPRESSION SIGNIFICANTLY...MIGHT AS WELL NOT MENTION HOW STRONG...BUT THE UNBEATABLE NCEP GLOBAL MODEL ONLY SHOWS A MODEST INTENSIFICATION VERY LATE IN THE FORECAST PERIOD. THE DEPRESSION APPEARS TO BE MOVING WESTWARD AT 20 KNOTS OR MORE. A GRADUAL TURN TO THE WEST-NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED AS THE RIDGE TO THE NORTH WEAKENS. GUIDANCE IS DIVIDED INTO TWO BRANCHES. THE STATISTICAL MODELS WHICH MAINTAIN THE CYCLONE WESTWARD THROUGH THE CARIBBEAN...AND GLOBAL MODELS THAT UNANIMOUSLY TURN THE SYSTEM NORTHWESTWARD OVER HISPANIOLA OR EASTERN CUBA. THE GFDL IS IN BETWEEN...BRINGING A SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL CYCLONE OVER CUBA AND THE EXTREME EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO. INTERESTING FEW DAYS AHEAD. AT THIS TIME...THE DEPRESSION IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE ONLY SQUALLS AND GUSTY WINDS OVER THE SOUTHERN WINDWARD ISLANDS AND EXTREME NORTHEASTERN VENEZUELA. FORECASTER AVILA FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS INITIAL 14/2100Z 10.1N 61.5W 25 KTS 12HR VT 15/0600Z 10.5N 64.5W 25 KTS 24HR VT 15/1800Z 12.0N 67.5W 30 KTS 36HR VT 16/0600Z 13.5N 70.5W 40 KTS 48HR VT 16/1800Z 15.5N 73.0W 50 KTS 72HR VT 17/1800Z 18.5N 76.0W 60 KTS |