
THE AREA OF CONVECTION PREVIOUSLY LOCATED NEAR 15.2S 69.9E
IS NOW LOCATED NEAR 15.6S 69.1E, APPROXIMATELY 835 NM EAST-NORTHEAST
OF LA REUNION ISLAND. ANIMATED INFRARED SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTS
A CONSOLIDATING LOW-LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER (LLCC) WITH FORMATIVE
CONVECTIVE BANDING OVER THE WESTERN SEMI-CIRCLE. A 012109Z AMSU 89GHZ
IMAGE SHOWED AN IMPROVED LLCC WITH DEEP CONVECTION WRAPPING INTO
THE NORTHERN QUADRANT. OVERALL, THE ENVIRONMENT IS FAVORABLE FOR
FURTHER DEVELOMENT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MODERATE VERTICAL WIND
SHEAR (VWS). THERE IS A DEVELOPING ANTICYCLONE NEAR THE CENTER WITH
IMPROVED RADIAL OUTFLOW. THE SST (28C), OCEAN HEAT CONTENT AND TOTAL
PRECIPITABLE WATER CONTINUE TO FAVOR DEVELOPMENT. AN UPPER-LEVEL
SHORTWAVE TROUGH IS FORECAST TO TRACK SOUTHWEST OF THE SYSTEM BY
TAU 24 AND WILL FURTHER ENHANCE POLEWARD OUTFLOW. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED
SURFACE WINDS ARE ESTIMATED AT 20 TO 25 KNOTS. MINIMUM SEA LEVEL
PRESSURE IS ESTIMATED TO BE NEAR 1004 MB. BASED ON THE IMPROVED
CONSOLIDATION AND OUTFLOW, THE POTENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF
A SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL CYCLONE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS IS
UPGRADED TO FAIR.