ZCZC HFOTCDCP1 ALL TTAA00 PHFO DDHHMM Hurricane Walaka Discussion Number 17 NWS Central Pacific Hurricane Center Honolulu HI CP012018 1100 AM HST Wed Oct 03 2018 Satellite imagery shows Walaka apparently feeling the effects of increasing vertical wind shear. The deep convection on the west and southwestern eyewall has narrowed, and the upper level cirrus outflow is being eroded to the southwest and elongating off to the northeast. The current intensity is held at 120 kt for this advisory based on a blend of the latest subjective Dvorak estimates and the ADT from UW-CIMSS. These range from 5.5/102 kt from SAB to 7.0/140 kt from JTWC to 6.6/130 kt from the ADT. Walaka has continued accelerating toward the north-northeast this morning, and the initial motion for this advisory is 020/19 kt. Walaka is expected to continue accelerating a bit more toward the north-northeast into tonight as it remains under the influence of steering flow around a deep low pressure system to the north. Once the hurricane gets closer to this extratropical low pressure feature, it is expected to slow considerably. There is good agreement in this scenario, with only minor northward changes in the track through Friday, due to faster motion in the short term. Beyond Friday, Walaka gets picked up by a trough moving along in the westerlies and accelerates off to the northeast, becoming extratropical by Sunday. Rapid weakening is forecast tonight and Thursday as continued vertical wind shear values of up to 35 kt combine with SST dropping below 27 degrees C. Later on Thursday, the vertical wind shear relaxes, but continued weakening is expected due to cooler SSTs. As Walaka gets picked up in the westerlies, a slow weakening is forecast as it transitions to extratropical status. The intensity forecast is near the stronger statistical guidance, SHIPS, and higher resolution dynamical guidance, HWRF/HMON, and represents a compromise between the stronger GFS/ECMWF and much weaker HCCA and LGEM. FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS INIT 03/2100Z 21.4N 168.5W 120 KT 140 MPH 12H 04/0600Z 24.2N 167.4W 110 KT 125 MPH 24H 04/1800Z 27.9N 167.0W 85 KT 100 MPH 36H 05/0600Z 30.5N 167.3W 70 KT 80 MPH 48H 05/1800Z 32.4N 166.7W 55 KT 65 MPH 72H 06/1800Z 40.0N 160.6W 45 KT 50 MPH 96H 07/1800Z 51.5N 149.0W 35 KT 40 MPH...POST-TROP/EXTRATROP 120H 08/1800Z...DISSIPATED $$ Forecaster Brenchley NNNN