Wind: 150 MPH Guest 185 MPH— Location: 15.0N 128.9E — Movement: NW
Super Typhoon (STY) 05w (Guchol), located approximately 680 nm
south of Kadena AB, Okinawa, has tracked northwestward at 12 knots
over the past six hours. Sty 05w has recently been upgraded to sty
status based on the presence of a sustained eye in enhanced
infrared (eir) satellite imagery along with improving outflow. Eir
satellite imagery shows a symmetric eye, approximately 15 nm wide.
A 161137z ssmis 91 ghz image depicts the convectively concentric
ring encompassing the low-level circulation center (LLCC).
Additionally, a larger, secondary Half-Moon of deep convection
resides over the southern semi-Circle. The initial position was
based on the apparent eye in the above mentioned imagery with high
confidence. The initial intensity was based on congruent Dvorak
estimates of 127 knots from pgtw, knes, and rjtd. Upper-level
analysis indicates a self-induced meso-anticyclone over the LLCC
which is providing for ample outflow, weak vertical wind shear
(vws), and excellent divergence aloft. The tropical upper
tropospheric troughing (tutt) that was north of the system is no
longer discernable in animated water vapor imagery. Consequently,
poleward outflow seems to be spreading out more when compared to
six hours ago due to the elimination of pressure that was caused by
the TUTT. Sty 05w is currently tracking along the southwestern
periphery of the deep-layered subtropical ridge (str).
