ZCZC MIATCDEP2 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM Hurricane Linda Discussion Number 20 NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL EP122021 800 PM PDT Sat Aug 14 2021 Although Linda is still quite an impressive and powerful hurricane, inner-core cloud tops have been warming during the past several hours. Furthermore, the eye has become more obscured during the past few hours, with convoluted cloud elements and a few mesovortices identifiable in High resolution visible imagery. A series of microwave images from earlier today, suggest a concentric, outer convective ring may be forming, usually indicative of an eyewall replacement cycle. The latest subjective and objective satellite intensity estimates indicate that Linda has weakened to 110 kt, and the initial intensity is lowered to this value for this advisory. With the possibility that Linda maybe undergoing an eyewall replacement cycle, fluctuations in strength are possible during the next few hours. Regardless of any inner-core structural changes, Linda will be moving over gradually decreasing oceanic temperatures and into a more statically stable and drier surrounding environment during the next several days. Based on the statistical GFS and ECMWF SHIPS intensity guidance and the large-scale and regional models, Linda should begin a weakening trend soon, if it hasn't started already. The NHC intensity forecast resembles the previous advisory, and is in best agreement with the HCCA and IVCN intensity consensus aids. Linda is embedded within the mid-tropospheric south peripheral flow of a strengthening ridge to the north, and the initial motion is estimated to be west-northwestward, or 285/12 kt. This subtropical ridge is forecast to build back westward to the northwest of Linda during the next 24-36 h, inducing a turn toward the west-southwest. Around early Tuesday, the hurricane is expected to turn back toward the west and west-northwest in response to a mid-level cut-off low forming west of the Baja California peninsula. The official track forecast is based primarily on the TVCN consensus model and is quite similar to the previous NHC forecast. FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS INIT 15/0300Z 19.3N 118.2W 110 KT 125 MPH 12H 15/1200Z 19.4N 119.9W 110 KT 125 MPH 24H 16/0000Z 19.1N 121.9W 90 KT 105 MPH 36H 16/1200Z 18.6N 123.7W 80 KT 90 MPH 48H 17/0000Z 18.1N 125.4W 75 KT 85 MPH 60H 17/1200Z 18.0N 127.1W 65 KT 75 MPH 72H 18/0000Z 18.2N 128.9W 60 KT 70 MPH 96H 19/0000Z 19.6N 133.2W 50 KT 60 MPH 120H 20/0000Z 21.6N 137.9W 40 KT 45 MPH $$ Forecaster Roberts NNNN