ZCZC MIATCDEP2 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM TROPICAL STORM GIL DISCUSSION NUMBER 2 NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL EP072013 200 PM PDT TUE JUL 30 2013 SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS INCREASED ORGANIZATION OF THE TROPICAL CYCLONE OVER THE PAST SEVERAL HOURS....WITH CURVED BANDING FEATURES BECOMING NOTICEABLY BETTER DEFINED. THE CURRENT INTENSITY ESTIMATE IS 35 KT...IN AGREEMENT WITH THE LATEST DVORAK ESTIMATE FROM TAFB...AND THE SYSTEM IS BEING NAMED AT THIS TIME. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ARE CONDUCIVE FOR CONTINUED STRENGTHENING...WITH SUFFICIENTLY WARM WATERS...WEAK SHEAR...AND A MOIST ATMOSPHERE LIKELY TO PREVAIL FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. THE OFFICIAL WIND SPEED FORECAST IS THE SAME AS THE PREVIOUS ONE...AND IS IN CLOSE AGREEMENT WITH THE STATISTICAL-DYNAMICAL DSHIPS MODEL. GEOSTATIONARY AND MICROWAVE SATELLITE FIXES INDICATE THAT THE INITIAL MOTION IS ABOUT 285/13. A MID-LEVEL RIDGE EXTENDING WESTWARD FROM A STRONG HIGH PRESSURE AREA OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES SHOULD MAINTAIN THE WEST-NORTHWESTWARD MOTION DURING MUCH OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. SINCE THE TROPICAL CYCLONE WILL BE APPROACHING A WEAKNESS IN THE RIDGE IN A DAY OR TWO...SOME DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS FORECAST. THE OFFICIAL FORECAST IS SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS ONE AND NOT FAR FROM THE LATEST MULTI-MODEL CONSENSUS. FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS INIT 30/2100Z 12.7N 116.1W 35 KT 40 MPH 12H 31/0600Z 13.2N 117.9W 45 KT 50 MPH 24H 31/1800Z 13.9N 120.0W 50 KT 60 MPH 36H 01/0600Z 14.5N 122.1W 55 KT 65 MPH 48H 01/1800Z 15.0N 124.2W 60 KT 70 MPH 72H 02/1800Z 15.8N 127.5W 65 KT 75 MPH 96H 03/1800Z 16.5N 130.5W 55 KT 65 MPH 120H 04/1800Z 16.5N 134.0W 45 KT 50 MPH $$ FORECASTER PASCH NNNN