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TROPICAL STORM LESTER DISCUSSION NUMBER  52
NWS CENTRAL PACIFIC HURRICANE CENTER HONOLULU HI   EP132016
500 AM HST TUE SEP 06 2016

GOES-15 imagery continues to show Tropical Storm Lester with a
partly exposed low-level circulation center. The higher cloud tops
have rotated around to the west side of the system since last
evening. The subjective Dvorak satellite intensity estimate from
PHFO was 2.5/35 kt and from SAB it was 1.5/25 kt. JTWC has been
analyzing the cyclone as subtropical. Intensity estimates have been
erratic, probably since the system is beginning to undergo
extratropical transition. We have kept the initial intensity at 50
kt.  We have had no recent scatterometer passes, so confidence in
the initial intensity is low.
 
The initial motion is 350/10 kt. The cyclone lies between a trough
aloft centered from near 48N 175E to 30N 170E and a broad ridge
aloft centered from near 39N 140W TO 37N 160W. A jet stream runs
from 30N 180W to 45N 170W. Lester will be steered by the flow
between the trough and the ridge. The cyclone will continue moving
north at about the same speed for the next 12 hours. As the
trough aloft moves east at 10 to 15 kt, the steering flow over
Lester will shift out of the southwest and strengthen. Lester
will curve toward the north northeast tonight, then accelerate
toward the northeast on Wednesday. The latest forecast track closely
follows the previous one, and lies close to the global models as
well as the TVCN consensus guidance. The Ocean Prediction Center
provided input for cyclone as it becomes post-tropical.
 
Most of the intensity guidance indicates that the tropical cyclone
will remain near its current intensity through 24 hours. Some of
the guidance keeps Lester near its current intensity for 24 hours
beyond that. In collaboration with OPC we have the cyclone
gradually weakening beyond 24 hours as it transitions to a
post-tropical extratropical low Wednesday afternoon. 

 
 
FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS
 
INIT  06/1500Z 33.2N 166.0W   50 KT  60 MPH
 12H  07/0000Z 35.0N 166.0W   50 KT  60 MPH
 24H  07/1200Z 37.5N 165.0W   50 KT  60 MPH
 36H  08/0000Z 40.5N 163.5W   45 KT  50 MPH...POST-TROP/EXTRATROP
 48H  08/1200Z 44.0N 159.0W   40 KT  45 MPH...POST-TROP/EXTRATROP
 72H  09/1200Z...DISSIPATED
 
$$
Forecaster Donaldson
 
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