122  
WTPZ41 KNHC 260848  
TCDEP1  
 
HURRICANE FAUSTO DISCUSSION NUMBER 30  
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL EP062026  
1100 PM HST SAT JUL 25 2026  
 
SATELLITE IMAGERY INDICATES THAT FAUSTO'S CONVECTIVE STRUCTURE HAS  
BEGUN TO GRADUALLY DETERIORATE DURING THE PAST SEVERAL HOURS.  
MID-LEVEL DRY AIR HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY ENTRAINED INTO THE  
CIRCULATION, RESULTING IN THE EROSION OF DEEP CONVECTION OVER THE  
EASTERN SEMICIRCLE. RECENT MICROWAVE IMAGERY ALSO SUGGESTS EROSION  
OF PORTIONS OF THE EYEWALL. THE LATEST SUBJECTIVE DVORAK INTENSITY  
ESTIMATE FROM TAFB IS T4.5/77 KT, WHILE OBJECTIVE INTENSITY  
ESTIMATES FROM UW-CIMSS GENERALLY RANGE FROM 75 TO 85 KT. GIVEN THE  
RECENT DEGRADATION IN THE SATELLITE PRESENTATION, THE INITIAL  
INTENSITY IS LOWERED TO 80 KT. AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER  
AIRCRAFT AND A NOAA AIRCRAFT ARE SCHEDULED TO INVESTIGATE FAUSTO ON  
SUNDAY. THE RECONNAISSANCE DATA SHOULD HELP IMPROVE CONFIDENCE IN  
SUBSEQUENT TRACK AND INTENSITY FORECASTS.  
 
THE INITIAL MOTION IS ESTIMATED TO BE 280/11 KT AS FAUSTO MOVES INTO  
THE CENTRAL PACIFIC BASIN. THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO  
CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS AS A STRONG SUBTROPICAL RIDGE  
REMAINS POSITIONED NORTH OF THE CYCLONE. THE LATEST TRACK GUIDANCE  
REMAINS IN GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH 72 H, WITH SOME INCREASE IN  
CROSS-TRACK SPREAD THEREAFTER AS FAUSTO PASSES NORTH OF THE HAWAIIAN  
ISLANDS. THE NHC FORECAST IS ESSENTIALLY UNCHANGED FROM THE PREVIOUS  
ADVISORY, AND CLOSELY FOLLOWS THE MULTI-MODEL CONSENSUS (HCCA).  
 
FAUSTO HAS LIKELY BEGUN A GRADUAL WEAKENING TREND AS IT MOVES INTO A  
DRIER MID-LEVEL ENVIRONMENT OVER MARGINAL SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES.  
ADDITIONALLY, SOUTHWESTERLY VERTICAL WIND SHEAR IS FORECAST TO  
STEADILY INCREASE BEGINNING IN AROUND 24 H. SIMULATED SATELLITE  
IMAGERY DEPICTS A SIMILAR EVOLUTION, WITH THE CONVECTIVE STRUCTURE  
GRADUALLY ERODING LATE SUNDAY INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. BY THE TIME  
FAUSTO MOVES NORTH OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS, IT IS FORECAST TO BE A  
WEAKENING TROPICAL STORM, WITH THE DEEPEST CONVECTION BECOMING  
INCREASINGLY DISPLACED FROM THE LOW-LEVEL CENTER AND THE STRONGEST  
WINDS CONFINED TO THE NORTHERN SIDE OF THE CIRCULATION. THE NHC  
INTENSITY FORECAST IS LITTLE CHANGED FROM THE PREVIOUS ADVISORY AND  
REMAINS NEAR THE UPPER END OF THE GUIDANCE ENVELOPE.  
 
BASED ON THE PREDICTED SHEARED NATURE OF THE STORM, THE RISK OF  
SUSTAINED TROPICAL-FORCE-WINDS ON LAND SHOULD REMAIN LOW AS LONG AS  
THE FORECAST TRACK STAYS NORTH OF THE ISLANDS. INTERESTS IN HAWAII  
SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECAST UPDATES.  
 
 
KEY MESSAGES:  
 
1. FAUSTO IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN AS IT APPROACHES THE VICINITY OF THE  
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS EARLY NEXT WEEK. ALTHOUGH CONFIDENCE IS INCREASING  
THAT THE STRONGEST WINDS AND HEAVIEST RAINFALL WILL REMAIN NORTH OF  
THE ISLANDS, INTERESTS ACROSS HAWAII SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE  
PROGRESS OF FAUSTO.  
 
2. CONFIDENCE IS HIGH THAT SWELLS GENERATED BY FAUSTO WILL REACH THE  
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE CYCLONE, PRODUCING  
INCREASING SURF AND DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS. SURF IS EXPECTED TO  
STEADILY BUILD WESTWARD ACROSS THE STATE OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS  
FAUSTO APPROACHES AND PASSES TO THE NORTH.  
 
 
FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS  
 
INIT 26/0900Z 19.7N 139.8W 80 KT 90 MPH  
12H 26/1800Z 20.0N 141.6W 75 KT 85 MPH  
24H 27/0600Z 20.4N 144.1W 70 KT 80 MPH  
36H 27/1800Z 21.0N 146.8W 65 KT 75 MPH  
48H 28/0600Z 21.5N 149.7W 60 KT 70 MPH  
60H 28/1800Z 22.0N 151.9W 50 KT 60 MPH  
72H 29/0600Z 22.6N 154.4W 45 KT 50 MPH  
96H 30/0600Z 23.9N 159.2W 35 KT 40 MPH  
120H 31/0600Z 25.5N 163.5W 30 KT 35 MPH  
 

 
FORECASTER GIBBS/PIERCE/EVANS  
 
 
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