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Tropical Storm Isaac, Part 1: Moving Through The Eastern Caribbean Sea


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000

WTNT34 KNHC 212050

TCPAT4

BULLETIN

TROPICAL STORM ISAAC ADVISORY NUMBER 3

NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL092012

500 PM AST TUE AUG 21 2012

...AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT FINDS THAT THE

DEPRESSION HAS BECOME A TROPICAL STORM...

SUMMARY OF 500 PM AST...2100 UTC...INFORMATION

----------------------------------------------

LOCATION...15.4N 53.9W

ABOUT 500 MI...810 KM E OF GUADELOUPE

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...40 MPH...65 KM/H

PRESENT MOVEMENT...W OR 275 DEGREES AT 17 MPH...28 KM/H

MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1006 MB...29.71 INCHES

WATCHES AND WARNINGS

--------------------

CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY...

NONE.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT...

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR...

* MARTINIQUE

* DOMINICA

* GUADELOUPE AND THE SURROUNDING ISLANDS...AND ST. MARTIN

* ST. KITTS...NEVIS...ANTIGUA...MONTSERRAT...ANGUILLA...AND BARBUDA

* SABA...ST. EUSTATIUS...AND ST. MAARTEN

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR...

* BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

* PUERTO RICO...VIEQUES...CULEBRA...AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE

EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 36 HOURS.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE

POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 48 HOURS.

INTERESTS ELSEWHERE IN HISPANIOLA AND CUBA SHOULD MONITOR THE

PROGRESS OF ISAAC.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA IN THE UNITED

STATES...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL

WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO

YOUR AREA OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS

ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE.

DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK

------------------------------

AT 500 PM AST...2100 UTC...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ISAAC WAS

LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 15.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 53.9 WEST. ISAAC IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 17 MPH...28 KM/H...AND THIS GENERAL

MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. ON THE

FORECAST TRACK...THE CENTER OF ISAAC SHOULD MOVE THROUGH THE

CENTRAL LESSER ANTILLES WEDNESDAY EVENING...AND EMERGE OVER THE

EASTERN CARIBBEAN SEA BY THURSDAY MORNING.

REPORTS FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE

THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 40 MPH...65 KM/H...WITH

HIGHER GUSTS. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT

48 HOURS.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES...75 KM

TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE CENTER.

THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE JUST MEASURED BY THE HURRICANE HUNTER

AIRCRAFT IS 1006 MB...29.71 INCHES.

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

----------------------

WIND...TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH THE WARNING

AREA BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...MAKING OUTSIDE PREPARATIONS DIFFICULT

OR DANGEROUS.

RAINFALL...TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE

OVER THE NORTHERN WINDWARD ISLANDS AND THE LEEWARD ISLANDS. TOTAL

RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES WITH MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 6

INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER PUERTO RICO AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.

STORM SURGE...A STORM SURGE WILL RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS MUCH AS 1

TO 3 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS IN THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS.

NEAR THE COAST...THE SURGE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY DANGEROUS WAVES.

SURF...DANGEROUS SURF AND RIP CURRENT CONDITIONS WILL AFFECT THE

WINDWARD AND LEEWARD ISLANDS DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. PLEASE

CONSULT PRODUCTS FROM YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE FOR MORE

INFORMATION.

NEXT ADVISORY

-------------

NEXT INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY...800 PM AST.

NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY...1100 PM AST.

$$

FORECASTER BEVEN

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000

WTNT44 KNHC 212051

TCDAT4

TROPICAL STORM ISAAC DISCUSSION NUMBER 3

NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL092012

500 PM AST TUE AUG 21 2012

AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INVESTIGATING THE

DEPRESSION REPORTED 44-KT FLIGHT-LEVEL WINDS AT 1000 FT TO THE

NORTHEAST OF THE CENTER...AS WELL AS BIAS-CORRECTED SFMR SURFACE

WINDS ESTIMATES OF 35 KT. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS NEAR

1005 MB. BASED ON THESE DATA...THE DEPRESSION IS UPGRADED TO

TROPICAL STORM ISAAC. DESPITE THE UPGRADE...THE CYCLONE REMAINS

SOMEWHAT DISORGANIZED...WITH THE LOW-LEVEL CENTER PARTLY EXPOSED TO

THE NORTH OF THE MAIN CONVECTIVE MASS.

THE LOW-LEVEL CENTER HAS NUDGED NORTHWARD DURING THE AFTERNOON...BUT

THE LONGER TERM MOTION IS 275/15. ISAAC REMAINS SOUTH OF A

DEEP-LAYER SUBTROPICAL RIDGE THAT IS FORECAST TO REMAIN INTACT

FOR THE NEXT 72 HR...WHICH SHOULD KEEP THE CYCLONE MOVING GENERALLY

WESTWARD AS SHOWN BY THE TIGHTLY CLUSTERED TRACK MODEL GUIDANCE.

AFTER THAT...THE GLOBAL MODELS CONTINUE TO FORECAST A SHORTWAVE

TROUGH TO DIG SOUTHWARD OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S. AND THE GULF OF

MEXICO...WHICH IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN THE RIDGE ACROSS FLORIDA AND

THE BAHAMAS. THIS SHOULD ALLOW THE CYCLONE TO TURN WEST-

NORTHWESTWARD AND SLOW DOWN OVER THE NORTH-CENTRAL CARIBBEAN SEA AND

THE GREATER ANTILLES. THE GUIDANCE HAS BECOME LESS CONSISTENT

SINCE THE PREVIOUS ADVISORY. WHILE THE CENTER OF THE GUIDANCE

ENVELOPE HAS CHANGED LITTLE...THE ECMWF HAS SHIFTED WELL TO THE

LEFT OF ITS PREVIOUS FORECAST AND NOW CALLS FOR A WESTWARD MOTION

AFTER ISAAC PASSES HISPANIOLA. THE GFS ENSEMBLES HAVE ALSO SHIFTED

WESTWARD...ALTHOUGH THE ENSEMBLE MEAN STILL LIES NEAR THE FORECAST

TRACK. THE NEW TRACK IS NUDGED A LITTLE TO THE NORTH OF THE

PREVIOUS TRACK BEFORE 72 HR...AND THEN IS NUDGED A LITTLE TO THE

RIGHT THEREAFTER. THE TRACK FORECAST AFTER 72 HR LIES NEAR THE

LEFT EDGE OF THE GUIDANCE ENVELOPE...WITH ONLY THE ECMWF WELL TO

THE LEFT OF THE CURRENT FORECAST. USERS ARE CAUTIONED THAT FIVE-DAY

TRACK ERRORS AVERAGE ABOUT 225 N MI.

ISAAC CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE SOME LIGHT NORTHEASTERLY VERTICAL WIND

SHEAR...AND IT MAY NOT YET HAVE FULLY MIXED OUT THE DRY AIR THAT

HAS BEEN AFFECTING IT. THE SHEAR IS FORECAST TO DIMINISH IN 12-24

HR...WHICH SHOULD ALLOW SOME STRENGTHENING. THAT BEING SAID...THE

GFDL AND HWRF MODELS HAVE BACKED OFF ON THEIR FORECASTS OF

INTENSIFICATION...AND THE SHIPS AND LGEM MODELS ARE ALSO LESS

BULLISH. BASED ON THIS...THE NEW INTENSITY FORECAST SHOWS A LITTLE

LESS STRENGTHENING THAN THE PREVIOUS ADVISORY. THE INTENSITY

FORECAST AFTER 72 HR HAS AGAIN BEEN REDUCED DUE TO THE FORECAST

TRACK SHOWING INCREASED LAND INTERACTION WITH HISPANIOLA AND CUBA.

FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS

INIT 21/2100Z 15.4N 53.9W 35 KT 40 MPH

12H 22/0600Z 15.6N 56.4W 40 KT 45 MPH

24H 22/1800Z 15.9N 59.8W 45 KT 50 MPH

36H 23/0600Z 16.3N 63.1W 50 KT 60 MPH

48H 23/1800Z 16.6N 66.3W 65 KT 75 MPH

72H 24/1800Z 17.0N 71.0W 75 KT 85 MPH

96H 25/1800Z 19.5N 75.0W 75 KT 85 MPH

120H 26/1800Z 21.5N 78.0W 65 KT 75 MPH...INLAND

$$

FORECASTER BEVEN

_________________________________________

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Ensemble median track hasn't really changed since Sunday. Obviously, the Euro op is well west of yesterday.

It could well be a few overly agressive Western outliers with very low pressures amongst the Euro ensemble members skewing the means Westward, but to the casual observer, it looks like the means support the op Euro and a North Central/NE Gulf hit, between surface low position and mean 500 mb heights.

post-138-0-42076700-1345583023_thumb.gif

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Don't agree with nhc at all. First off 12 hrs to get to 45 mph? Heck recon just found a 60 mph surface wind.

Do you mean this?

203400 1513N 05341W 9632 00396 //// +206 //// 210013 013 044 021 01

203430 1514N 05342W 9625 00399 //// +198 //// 226013 014 049 021 05

203500 1515N 05344W 9628 00396 //// +200 //// 225013 014 051 034 01

203530 1516N 05345W 9629 00398 //// +199 //// 201013 014 049 047 05

203600 1517N 05346W 9627 00402 //// +202 //// 184010 015 053 044 01

203630 1517N 05347W 9631 00399 //// +211 //// 246004 008 044 028 05

Notice they don't match flight winds, are flagged, and are in heavy rain? I wouldn't be upgrading to a 50 or 55 knot storm on those....

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Don't agree with nhc at all. First off 12 hrs to get to 45 mph? Heck recon just found a 60 mph surface wind.

The SFMR obs were highly rain contaminated in the strong convection south of the center. Notice that the FL winds were not corresponding. I think the NHC forecast is quite reasonable until the system is vertically coupled, which hasn't happened yet.

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Don't agree with nhc at all. First off 12 hrs to get to 45 mph? Heck recon just found a 60 mph surface wind.

These were found in heavy convection of 20-47mm/hr, where SFMR readings are suspect. Notice the huge jump in SFMR readings as soon as the precip rate jumps (the second to last is rainfall rate, 3rd to last is SFMR readings)

203100 1508N 05333W 9629 00404 0083 +220 +220 193018 022 025 006 01

203130 1509N 05334W 9630 00403 0081 +220 +220 191019 020 027 006 01

203200 1510N 05335W 9621 00408 //// +211 //// 195018 022 028 006 01

203230 1510N 05337W 9629 00400 0079 +230 +230 205017 018 022 007 01

203300 1511N 05338W 9630 00400 0078 +230 +230 210015 017 022 007 01

203330 1512N 05340W 9629 00399 0078 +220 +220 208012 012 028 009 01

203400 1513N 05341W 9632 00396 //// +206 //// 210013 013 044 021 01

203430 1514N 05342W 9625 00399 //// +198 //// 226013 014 049 021 05

203500 1515N 05344W 9628 00396 //// +200 //// 225013 014 051 034 01

203530 1516N 05345W 9629 00398 //// +199 //// 201013 014 049 047 05

203600 1517N 05346W 9627 00402 //// +202 //// 184010 015 053 044 01

203630 1517N 05347W 9631 00399 //// +211 //// 246004 008 044 028 05

203700 1519N 05349W 9625 00401 0075 +230 +230 243003 004 034 019 05

203730 1520N 05349W 9627 00398 0073 +230 +230 258006 007 035 021 01

203800 1521N 05350W 9627 00396 //// +222 //// 287006 007 037 020 01

203830 1523N 05351W 9627 00393 0067 +230 +230 347005 007 036 017 01

203900 1524N 05351W 9632 00387 0066 +230 +230 004007 008 029 015 01

203930 1526N 05352W 9628 00390 0066 +240 +240 000008 008 024 011 01

204000 1527N 05352W 9627 00391 0065 +240 +240 018009 009 020 005 01

204030 1528N 05353W 9630 00390 0065 +230 +230 033009 010 014 006 05

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It could well be a few overly agressive Western outliers with very low pressures amongst the Euro ensemble members skewing the means Westward, but to the casual observer, it looks like the means support the op Euro and a North Central/NE Gulf hit, between surface low position and mean 500 mb heights.

The western outliers make landfall later so they skew the mean. That's why I said median track vs. mean track.

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Certainly looks much better on visible with each update. Still think its at least 45 mph currently. We all know how fast these systems can ramp up under good conditions.

Yup it's looking alot better as the sun sets, big convective burst and CDO, with a classic spiral band extending across the western semicircle. The weakening recon measured reflects the the brief decoupling of the center from convection earlier.

I wouldn't put hurricane Isaac out of the question by tomorrow morning, this thing is ready to go.

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The ECMWF Ensembles are fairly similar to the OP through 168 hours, including the stronger ridge over Isaac at that period keeping the system further south. The GFS ensembles still have a pronounced weakness which allows Isaac to slide further north.

5yawko.gif

Yeah, really there is a fair amount of model agreement which would seem to allow better confidence than what one might expect as far as a general idea of how this system will track in the 7-10 day period. Would seem to me like a path toward the W-WNW to near or a bit S of Hispaniola and south of Cuba, then a slowing and turn generally toward the north into the weakness, seems like a very likely scenario. Op EC could be a bit too far west due to its tendency to be overly strong with the ridge - but generally saying the eastern half of the Gulf region as an ultimate impact in 7-10 days seems fairly likely at this point.

To be honest, my main surprise with the NHC forecast is that they shifted it a bit more right in later periods. I know there is guidance to their right, but most of it is not very robust guidance (NOGAPS, CMC, GFDL). The GFS and EC and their ensembles all generally shifted west today, and a forecast between the GFS and EC is probably a pretty good guesstimate right now IMO.

Certainly looking a lot healthier last couple of hours with strong convective development over the center. Dmax could be very interesting tonight.

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Yup it's looking alot better as the sun sets, big convective burst and CDO, with a classic spiral band extending across the western semicircle. The weakening recon measured reflects the the brief decoupling of the center from convection earlier.

I wouldn't put hurricane Isaac out of the question by tomorrow morning, this thing is ready to go.

He looks like he wants to do something evil overnight. Convection keeps on filling in and getting more symmetrical.

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T 3.5 I'd guesstimate with this simple chart (I wish I still had my Dvorak manual to make really accurate measurements), real T numbers always lag though so it's at T2.5 right now according to ADT, which is the way it should be since the maturity of cloud structures tends to precede intensity. Another indicator we might be on our way to a strong TS if trends hold.

bd0-lalo.jpg

800px-DvorakCDP1973.png

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Ok, start throwing the hot dogs at me, but this looks like a rapid development of a legit CDO, that looks like it's already starting to rotate. Not 100% on this, especially given the history of entanglement with SAL, however TPW imagery did indicate that 09L was starting to insulate or surround its center with high PWAT air.

FAIL

To be honest, It should have been apparent that the SAL wasn't about to just give up the ghost that easily. I'm not usually that prone to the bout of overexcited weenie-ism that I suffered early this morning.

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It must be difficult for NHC with the only two models showing a strong system in the next 5 days (CMC and NOGAPS) being so unreliable and both showing a strong right turn--out to sea even--whereas the reliable global models keep the storm relatively weak for 5 days, which is possible but seems unlikely given the structure of the storm and the good conditions. No, I'm not predicting it will come to CHS! My money is on a brush with FL and then out to sea or perhaps an OB brush, i.e., the climo favored route. I think the NHC forecast is quite reasonable. I'm just troubled by the lack of model guidance showing the deep system that I think is likely and by the fact that BAM deep, which has been pretty accurate lately, is pretty far right of GFS despite using GFS data.

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