
AN AREA OF CONVECTION HAS PERSISTED NEAR 12.1S 166.1E,
APPROXIMATELY 742 NM WEST-NORTHWEST OF NADI, FIJI. RECENT ANIMATED
MULTISPECTRAL SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTS A SMALL-COMPACT SYSTEM WITH
A CONSOLIDATED LOW-LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER (LLCC) AND DEEPENING
CENTRAL CONVECTION. AN 182148Z ASCAT PASS INDICATES 20 TO 30 KNOT
WIND BARBS SURROUNDING A TIGHTLY WRAPPED SYSTEM. A UPPER LEVEL
ANALYSIS INDICATES A FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT CHARACTERIZED BY LOW
VERTICAL WIND SHEAR AND GOOD RADIAL OUTFLOW. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED
SURFACE WINDS ARE ESTIMATED AT 20 TO 25 KNOTS. MINIMUM SEA LEVEL
PRESSURE IS ESTIMATED TO BE NEAR 1005 MB. THE POTENTIAL FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL CYCLONE WITHIN THE NEXT 24
HOURS IS MEDIUM.