102  
WTNT45 KNHC 211451  
TCDAT5  
 
HURRICANE TAMMY DISCUSSION NUMBER 13  
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL202023  
1100 AM AST SAT OCT 21 2023  
 
THE CENTER OF TAMMY IS NOW LOCATED JUST TO THE EAST-SOUTHEAST OF  
GUADELOUPE IN THE LEEWARD ISLANDS. SATELLITE AND RADAR DATA  
INDICATE THAT THE CORE OF THE HURRICANE IS QUITE COMPACT AND DESPITE  
ITS CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE ISLANDS, THE STRONG WINDS REMAIN JUST  
OFFSHORE. THE NOAA AND AIR FORCE HURRICANE HUNTERS HAVE BEEN  
INVESTIGATING TAMMY THIS MORNING, AND A COMBINATION OF THE DATA THEY  
HAVE COLLECTED INDICATE THAT THE HURRICANE HAS STRENGTHENED A  
LITTLE. THE INITIAL INTENSITY IS NUDGED UPWARD TO 75 KT BASED ON  
MAXIMUM 700 MB FLIGHT-LEVEL WINDS OF 86 KT AND A PEAK SFMR WIND OF  
74 KT. HOWEVER, AS NOTED ABOVE, THE HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS ARE  
OCCURRING OVER A SMALL REGION VERY NEAR THE CENTER.  
 
THE HURRICANE HAS TURNED TO THE RIGHT OVER THE PAST SEVERAL HOURS,  
AND THE INITIAL MOTION IS NOW NORTHWESTWARD, 325 DEGREES, AT 7 KT.  
A CONTINUED NORTHWESTWARD MOTION IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 12-24  
HOURS, TAKING THE CORE OF TAMMY OVER OR JUST EAST OF THE LEEWARD  
ISLANDS DURING THAT TIME. AFTER THE HURRICANE CLEARS THE ISLANDS,  
A TURN TO THE NORTH SEEMS LIKELY WHEN THE SYSTEM MOVES IN THE FLOW  
BETWEEN A RIDGE OVER THE CENTRAL ATLANTIC AND A LARGE TROUGH OVER  
THE WESTERN ATLANTIC. THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SPREAD IN  
THE MODELS IN THE DAYS 3-5 TIME FRAME, WHICH SEEMS TO BE ASSOCIATED  
WITH MODEL DIFFERENCES IN THE MAGNITUDE OF THE TROUGH AND VERTICAL  
DEPTH/INTENSITY OF TAMMY. THE NHC TRACK FORECAST IS A LITTLE TO  
THE RIGHT AND SLOWER THAN THE PREVIOUS ONE BASED ON THE INITIAL  
POSITION/MOTION AND LATEST MODEL GUIDANCE. HOWEVER, GIVEN THAT THE  
SPREAD IN THE MODEL POSITIONS OF TAMMY ARE ABOUT 900 MILES AT DAY 5,  
CONFIDENCE IS LOW IN TAMMY'S LONG RANGE TRACK.  
 
TAMMY WILL LIKELY FLUCTUATE IN STRENGTH OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS  
WHILE IT REMAINS IN MIXED ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS OF VERY WARM  
SSTS AND MODERATE WIND SHEAR. THE NHC INTENSITY FORECAST IS A  
TOUCH HIGHER THAN THE PREVIOUS ONE AND GENERALLY NEAR THE IVCN AND  
HCCA MODELS. GRADUAL WEAKENING SEEMS LIKELY BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT  
WEEK WHEN IT MOVES INTO A REGION OF STRONGER SHEAR, BUT THE  
INTENSITY FORECAST AT THAT RANGE IS OF LOW CONFIDENCE SINCE ITS  
FUTURE STRENGTH WILL LIKELY BE CORRELATED TO THE TRACK.  
 
 
KEY MESSAGES:  
 
1. HURRICANE AND TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED IN PORTIONS  
OF THE LEEWARD AND NORTHERN WINDWARD ISLANDS THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY.  
 
2. HEAVY RAINS FROM TAMMY WILL AFFECT THE LESSER ANTILLES NORTH OF  
MARTINIQUE TODAY, SPREADING ACROSS THE BRITISH AND U.S. VIRGIN  
ISLANDS AND POSSIBLY EASTERN PUERTO RICO ON SUNDAY. THIS RAINFALL  
MAY PRODUCE ISOLATED FLASH AND URBAN FLOODING, ALONG WITH ISOLATED  
MUDSLIDES IN AREAS OF HIGHER TERRAIN.  
 
3. A STORM SURGE COULD PRODUCE COASTAL FLOODING IN AREAS OF ONSHORE  
WINDS AS THE CENTER OF TAMMY MOVES NEAR OR OVER THE LEEWARD ISLANDS.  
NEAR THE COAST, THE SURGE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DANGEROUS  
WAVES.  
 
 
FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS  
 
INIT 21/1500Z 16.0N 60.7W 75 KT 85 MPH  
12H 22/0000Z 17.0N 61.6W 75 KT 85 MPH  
24H 22/1200Z 18.6N 62.5W 80 KT 90 MPH  
36H 23/0000Z 20.0N 63.3W 80 KT 90 MPH  
48H 23/1200Z 21.3N 63.8W 80 KT 90 MPH  
60H 24/0000Z 22.3N 63.8W 80 KT 90 MPH  
72H 24/1200Z 23.2N 63.5W 80 KT 90 MPH  
96H 25/1200Z 24.9N 62.7W 75 KT 85 MPH  
120H 26/1200Z 27.3N 62.0W 65 KT 75 MPH  
 

 
FORECASTER CANGIALOSI  
 
 
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