040  
WTNT41 KNHC 042056  
TCDAT1  
TROPICAL STORM IDA DISCUSSION NUMBER 2  
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL112009  
400 PM EST WED NOV 04 2009  
 
SATELLITE IMAGES SHOW THAT...ALTHOUGH CONVECTION HAS WEAKENED THIS  
AFTERNOON...THE OVERALL CLOUD PATTERN CONTINUES TO BE WELL-ORGANIZED  
WITH STRONG BANDS IN THE NORTHERN SEMICIRCLE OF THE SYSTEM. AN AIR  
FORCE RESERVE RECONNAISSANCE PLANE FOUND MAXIMUM FLIGHT-LEVEL WINDS  
OF 53 KT...SFMR WINDS OF 48 KT...AND A FALLING MINIMUM CENTRAL  
PRESSURE OF 996 MB. THESE DATA SUPPORT AN INITIAL WIND SPEED OF  
ABOUT 50 KT...AND THUS THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN NAMED IDA.  
 
THE INITIAL MOTION APPEARS TO HAVE TURNED SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT...AND  
IS NOW 300/5. IDA IS MOVING THROUGH AN AREA OF LIGHT STEERING  
BETWEEN A RIDGE OVER THE NORTH-CENTRAL CARIBBEAN SEA AND A WEAK  
TROUGH OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN GULF OF MEXICO. THERE IS BETTER  
AGREEMENT IN THE MODELS THIS AFTERNOON ON THE STORM SLOWLY MOVING  
TO THE NORTHWEST...THEN TO THE NORTH AROUND THE WESTERN PART OF THE  
CARIBBEAN RIDGE. ONLY THE UKMET MODEL NOW KEEPS THE SYSTEM OVER  
WATER WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT LAND INTERACTION. THE OFFICIAL NHC  
FORECAST IS SHIFTED WESTWARD AND IS FASTER THAN THE PREVIOUS ONE.  
 
ALTHOUGH ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS FAVOR STRENGTHENING...IDA DOES NOT  
HAVE MUCH MORE TIME LEFT BEFORE IT MOVES OVER NICARAGUA. THE  
INTENSITY FORECAST IS CLOSE TO PREVIOUS ONE IN THE SHORT-TERM...  
SHOWING SOME STRENGTHENING OF IDA...AND THEN REDUCED THEREAFTER DUE  
TO THE EFFECTS OF LAND. IN A FEW DAYS...THE ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT  
COULD ALLOW FOR SOME REINTENSIFICATION OF THE SYSTEM OVER THE  
NORTHWESTERN CARIBBEAN SEA. HOWEVER... IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT  
THE TROPICAL CYCLONE COULD DISSIPATE OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF  
CENTRAL AMERICA.  
 
LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES FROM EXTREMELY HEAVY  
RAINS ARE EXPECTED TO BE THE BIGGEST THREAT FROM IDA.  
 
 
FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS  
 
INITIAL 04/2100Z 12.0N 82.7W 50 KT  
12HR VT 05/0600Z 12.4N 83.3W 55 KT  
24HR VT 05/1800Z 13.0N 84.1W 40 KT...INLAND  
36HR VT 06/0600Z 13.7N 84.6W 30 KT...INLAND  
48HR VT 06/1800Z 14.5N 85.0W 25 KT...INLAND  
72HR VT 07/1800Z 16.0N 85.5W 25 KT...OVER WATER  
96HR VT 08/1800Z 18.0N 86.0W 35 KT  
120HR VT 09/1800Z 20.5N 86.5W 40 KT  
 
 
FORECASTER BLAKE/PASCH  
 
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