HARVEY, different setup, similar conclusion.
northwestern Gulf of Mexico appears to be weakening, and as this
happens Harvey should end up in a low shear environment. This
should allow strengthening over deep warm water in the western Gulf
of Mexico. The new intensity forecast is adjusted slightly to show
Harvey explicitly becoming a hurricane in 48 h, and some additional
strengthening could occur between the 48 h point and landfall.
After landfall, Harvey is expected to weaken. However, the
forecast track keeps the system close enough to the Texas coast
that this weakening is likely to be slower than normal.
- snip -
INIT 24/0300Z 21.9N 92.6W 30 KT 35 MPH
12H 24/1200Z 22.8N 93.1W 35 KT 40 MPH
24H 25/0000Z 24.1N 94.1W 40 KT 45 MPH
36H 25/1200Z 25.4N 95.4W 50 KT 60 MPH
48H 26/0000Z 26.6N 96.3W 65 KT 75 MPH
72H 27/0000Z 28.5N 97.5W 50 KT 60 MPH...INLAND
BERYL has less time, and hopefully won't take advantage of low shear conditions like HARVEY did.
shear, and water vapor imagery shows mid- to upper-level dry air
over the southern semicircle of the cyclone. This combination
suggests the possibility that the current convective burst will
weaken later today. After 24 h, the shear is forecast to diminish,
and the intensity guidance is in good agreement that significant
strengthening should occur. Based on this, the intensity forecast
shows only modest strengthening during the first 24 h, followed by
intensification to hurricane strength before landfall in Texas.
The peak intensity is based on the HWRF, HMON, HAFS-A and HAFS-B
guidance. After landfall, Beryl is expected to weaken, with
the system forecast to decay to a remnant low pressure area by
120 h.
- snip -
INIT 06/1500Z 23.0N 92.3W 50 KT 60 MPH
12H 07/0000Z 23.7N 93.5W 50 KT 60 MPH
24H 07/1200Z 24.9N 95.0W 55 KT 65 MPH
36H 08/0000Z 26.2N 96.0W 65 KT 75 MPH
48H 08/1200Z 27.7N 96.7W 75 KT 85 MPH
60H 09/0000Z 29.3N 96.8W 50 KT 60 MPH...INLAND