IS NOW NEAR 7.5N 112.9E, APPROXIMATELY 415 NM EAST-SOUTHEAST OF
HO CHI MINH, VIETNAM. ANIMATED INFRARED SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS
CONVECTIVE BANDING HAS RAPIDLY CONSOLIDATED INTO A FULLY EXPOSED LOW
LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER. THIS IS ALSO EVIDENT ON A 181149Z SSMIS
MICROWAVE IMAGE. UPPER LEVEL ANALYSIS INDICATES THE SYSTEM IS SOUTH
OF THE SUBTROPICAL RIDGE AXIS ORIENTED WEST-EAST AT 20N WITH MODERATE
TO STRONG VERTICAL WIND SHEAR (VWS). MAXIMUM SUSTAINED SURFACE WINDS
ARE ESTIMATED AT 17 TO 22 KNOTS. MINIMUM SEA LEVEL PRESSURE IS
ESTIMATED TO BE NEAR 1004 MB. IN VIEW OF THE ACCELERATED
CONSOLIDATION, THE POTENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SIGNIFICANT
TROPICAL CYCLONE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS IS UPGRADED TO FAIR.

