853  
WTPZ41 KNHC 140848  
TCDEP1  
 
TROPICAL STORM TRUDY DISCUSSION NUMBER 4  
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL EP212026  
300 AM CST WED OCT 14 2026  
 
TRUDY CONTINUES TO BE A COMPLICATED STORM TO LOCATE AND FORECAST. A  
RECENT ASCAT PASS SHOWS THAT THE CENTER IS FARTHER WEST-SOUTHWEST  
THAN THE PREVIOUS BEST TRACK POSITION. IN ADDITION, THE ASCAT PASS  
WAS ALSO USED TO ADJUST THE WIND RADII FOR THE CYCLONE. THE  
SATELLITE PRESENTATION SHOWS THAT THE BULK OF THE CONVECTION REMAINS  
ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE STORM, BUT RECENTLY NEW DEEP CONVECTION HAS  
DEVELOPED OVER THE CENTER WITH CLOUD TOPS COLDER THAN -70 C BASED  
ON THE INFRARED IMAGERY. BASED ON THE LATEST TAFB DVORAK AND  
UW-CIMSS INTENSITY ESTIMATES, THE INITIAL INTENSITY FOR TRUDY HAS  
BEEN RAISED TO 45 KT.  
 
THE REPOSITIONING OF THE CENTER BASED ON THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED  
ASCAT PASS HAS LONG-REACHING IMPACTS FOR THE TRACK FORECAST. WITH  
THE INITIAL POSITION FARTHER WEST-SOUTHWEST THAN BEFORE, THE UPDATED  
TRACK HAS BEEN GENERALLY SHIFTED WEST OF THE PREVIOUS FORECAST. THE  
CURRENT TRACK FORECAST HAS TRUDY BEING STEERED BY A MID-LEVEL RIDGE  
OVER THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES FOR THE NEXT 72 H. AFTERWARDS, THE  
UNCERTAINTY IN THE TRACK BECOMES LARGER THAN NORMAL DUE TO THE  
CYCLONE ENTERING A REGION OF WEAKER STEERING FLOW. THIS OCCURS DUE  
TO THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED MID-LEVEL RIDGE RETREATING AS A TROUGH  
MOVES OVER THE WESTERN UNITED STATES. THE CURRENT NHC TRACK  
FORECAST HEAVILY FAVORS THE HCCA AND GDMI FORECAST AIDS. IN THIS  
CURRENT TRACK FORECAST, THE CENTER OF THE CYCLONE DOES REMAIN  
OFFSHORE OF SOUTHWESTERN MEXICO, BUT THERE IS STILL A LOT OF  
UNCERTAINTY REGARDING THE LONG-RANGE TRACK FORECAST.  
 
THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ARE VERY FAVORABLE FOR STRENGTHENING,  
AND TRUDY IS EXPECTED TO RAPIDLY INTENSIFY AND SHOULD BECOME A  
HURRICANE WITHIN 24 H. TRUDY IS FORECAST TO REACH MAJOR HURRICANE  
STATUS SOMEWHERE AROUND 48 H AND CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY FOR AROUND  
60-72 H. AFTER THAT, WIND SHEAR IS EXPECTED TO STEADILY INCREASE AS  
MID-LEVEL RELATIVE HUMIDITY DECREASES, THUS A GENERAL WEAKENING  
TREND IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR. THE NEW INTENSITY FORECAST IS GENERALLY  
ABOUT THE SAME AS THE PREVIOUS ONE, HOWEVER SLOWER WEAKENING IS  
SHOWN LATE IN THE PERIOD SINCE THE NEW FORECAST REMAINS OFFSHORE.  
THE CURRENT INTENSITY FORECAST IS STILL ON THE UPPER END OF THE  
GUIDANCE ENVELOPE, BUT IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH HCCA AND GDMI  
FORECAST AIDS.  
 
KEY MESSAGES:  
 
1. TRUDY IS FORECAST TO BE A MAJOR HURRICANE AS IT APPROACHES THE  
COAST OF SOUTHWESTERN AND WEST-CENTRAL MEXICO LATE THIS WEEK AND  
INTO THE WEEKEND. THERE IS AN INCREASING RISK OF WIND, RAIN, AND  
STORM SURGE IMPACTS, AND WATCHES COULD BE REQUIRED FOR A PORTION OF  
THESE AREAS LATER TODAY.  
 
 
FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS  
 
INIT 14/0900Z 11.1N 99.0W 45 KT 50 MPH  
12H 14/1800Z 11.5N 100.2W 55 KT 65 MPH  
24H 15/0600Z 12.4N 101.3W 65 KT 75 MPH  
36H 15/1800Z 13.1N 101.8W 80 KT 90 MPH  
48H 16/0600Z 14.0N 102.4W 100 KT 115 MPH  
60H 16/1800Z 14.9N 102.9W 110 KT 125 MPH  
72H 17/0600Z 16.0N 103.6W 115 KT 130 MPH  
96H 18/0600Z 18.5N 105.2W 105 KT 120 MPH  
120H 19/0600Z 20.4N 106.8W 85 KT 100 MPH  
 
 
FORECASTER KATZ/REINHART  
 
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