920  
WTPZ42 KNHC 200855  
TCDEP2  
 
HURRICANE NORMA DISCUSSION NUMBER 11  
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL EP172023  
300 AM MDT FRI OCT 20 2023  
 
EARLIER LOW-FREQUENCY MICROWAVE IMAGES INDICATED THAT SIGNIFICANT  
DEGRADATION OF NORMA'S EYE HAS OCCURRED DURING THE PAST FEW HOURS,  
PARTICULARLY IN THE SOUTH PART OF THE INNER CORE. ALTHOUGH  
THE OUTFLOW ALOFT IS STILL QUITE IMPRESSIVE, THERE IS EVIDENCE IN  
THE UW-CIMSS SHEAR ANALYSIS OF MODEST SOUTHERLY SHEAR BELOW 250 MB  
WHICH IS APPARENTLY AFFECTING NORMA'S VERTICAL STRUCTURE.  
SUBSEQUENTLY, THE INITIAL INTENSITY IS LOWERED TO 100 KT FOR THIS  
ADVISORY AND IS BASED ON A BLEND OF THE SUBJECTIVE AND OBJECTIVE  
INTENSITY ESTIMATES FROM TAFB, SAB, AND UW-CIMSS.  
 
GRADUAL WEAKENING SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH THE PERIOD AS A RESULT OF  
INCREASING SOUTH-SOUTHWESTERLY VERTICAL WIND SHEAR PRODUCED BY  
AN AMPLIFYING MID- TO UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH APPROACHING THE BAJA  
CALIFORNIA PENINSULA, AND A PROGRESSIVELY INHIBITING THERMODYNAMIC  
SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT WITH MID-TROPOSPHERIC RELATIVE HUMIDITY  
VALUES OF LESS THAN 50 PERCENT. DESPITE THE FORECAST WEAKENING  
TREND, NORMA WILL LIKELY BE A HURRICANE WHILE IT APPROACHES THE  
SOUTHERN PORTION OF BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR ON SATURDAY.  
 
THE INITIAL MOTION IS ESTIMATED TO BE NORTH-NORTHWESTWARD, OR 330/6  
KT. NORMA IS EXPECTED TO MOVE BETWEEN MID-LEVEL SUBTROPICAL  
HIGH-PRESSURE EAST OF THE CYCLONE AND THE ABOVE MENTIONED TROUGH TO  
THE NORTHWEST AND NORTH DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. BY  
MID-PERIOD, NORMA SHOULD TURN NORTH-NORTHEASTWARD TO NORTHEASTWARD  
WITH A REDUCTION IN FORWARD SPEED WHILE APPROACHING THE  
WEST-CENTRAL COAST OF MEXICO. THE OFFICIAL TRACK FORECAST LIES  
BETWEEN THE TVCE SIMPLE DETERMINISTIC MODEL CONSENSUS AND THE HFIP  
HCCA, AND IS SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS FORECAST WITH A SLIGHT  
ADJUSTMENT TO THE SOUTH OF IT BEYOND THE 48-HOUR PERIOD.  
 
THE INITIAL WIND RADII HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED SLIGHTLY BASED ON A  
RECENT METOP-B SCATTEROMETER OVERPASS.  
 
 
KEY MESSAGES:  
 
1. A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FAR SOUTHERN PORTION OF  
THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA, WHERE NORMA IS EXPECTED TO BRING  
HURRICANE CONDITIONS ON SATURDAY WHEN IT PASSES NEAR OR OVER THE  
AREA. TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE ALSO EXPECTED WITHIN THE  
TROPICAL STORM WARNING AREAS IN BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR ON SATURDAY.  
 
2. HEAVY RAINS FROM NORMA WILL BEGIN TO IMPACT THE FAR SOUTHERN  
PORTIONS OF CALIFORNIA BAJA SUR LATER TODAY, CONTINUING THROUGH  
SUNDAY. THIS RAINFALL MAY PRODUCE FLASH AND URBAN FLOODING, ALONG  
WITH POSSIBLE MUDSLIDES IN AREAS OF HIGHER TERRAIN.  
 
 
FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS  
 
INIT 20/0900Z 18.8N 108.6W 100 KT 115 MPH  
12H 20/1800Z 19.7N 109.2W 90 KT 105 MPH  
24H 21/0600Z 21.2N 109.7W 85 KT 100 MPH  
36H 21/1800Z 22.4N 109.6W 70 KT 80 MPH  
48H 22/0600Z 23.3N 109.2W 60 KT 70 MPH  
60H 22/1800Z 23.6N 108.4W 50 KT 60 MPH  
72H 23/0600Z 23.9N 107.8W 45 KT 50 MPH  
96H 24/0600Z 25.3N 106.6W 25 KT 30 MPH...POST-TROP/INLAND  
120H 25/0600Z...DISSIPATED  
 

 
FORECASTER ROBERTS  
 
 
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