ZCZC MIATCDEP5 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM Hurricane Dora Discussion Number 9 NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL EP052023 1100 AM HST Wed Aug 02 2023 After the last advisory, we received a couple of late arriving microwave passes, first from GPM at 1339 UTC, and then F-17 SSMIS at 1426 UTC. Both passes suggested that the inner core structure of Dora could be rearranging some with concentric bands embedded in the central dense overcast. On geostationary satellite, a tiny eye signature keeps coming and going, more recently trying to become better defined again as the surrounding cloud top temperatures have cooled. Subjective intensity estimates of Dora were both 90 kt from TAFB and SAB at 1800 UTC. Since that time, the eye has become more distinct again, so the intensity is nudged upward to 95 kt for this advisory. A helpful Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) pass received this morning showed that Dora remains a very small hurricane, with hurricane force winds only extending out 15 n mi from the center with a tiny 5 n mi radius of maximum wind. Dora's motion is essentially unchanged from this morning, still just south of due west at 260/14 kt. A deep-layer ridge located to the north of the hurricane is forecast to move with it, resulting in a continued south of due west track through the entire forecast period. The latest track guidance remains tightly clustered near the previous forecast track, and only slight adjustments were made for this advisory, blending the TVCE and HCCA consensus aids. While Dora appears to have paused its intensification this afternoon, it might just be a short-term fluctuation, as the latest few 1-min GOES-18 infrared images over Dora show the eye trying to clear out again. While SHIPS-RII has decreased some, especially compared to yesterday, DTOPS still indicates a 64 to 67 percent chance of a 25-kt increase in intensity over the next 24 hours. So the latest NHC intensity forecast will continue to show a 115 kt peak intensity over the next day, higher than the consensus aids, but still lower than both the HAFS-A/B runs. Thereafter, sea-surface temperatures begin to markedly decrease under the hurricane as easterly vertical wind shear is forecast to increase some. The models respond to this less favorable environment by showing weakening between 36-72 hours, and the latest official forecast also shows this scenario. As mentioned previously, Dora's small size could make it susceptible to rapid intensity changes, both up or down, and the intensity forecast is of much lower confidence than the track forecast. FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS INIT 02/2100Z 15.4N 115.6W 95 KT 110 MPH 12H 03/0600Z 15.2N 117.8W 105 KT 120 MPH 24H 03/1800Z 14.9N 120.7W 115 KT 130 MPH 36H 04/0600Z 14.5N 123.9W 105 KT 120 MPH 48H 04/1800Z 14.1N 127.1W 95 KT 110 MPH 60H 05/0600Z 13.7N 130.2W 85 KT 100 MPH 72H 05/1800Z 13.3N 133.3W 80 KT 90 MPH 96H 06/1800Z 12.6N 139.8W 80 KT 90 MPH 120H 07/1800Z 12.5N 146.9W 75 KT 85 MPH $$ Forecaster Papin NNNN