(1) THE AREA OF CONVECTION (INVEST 95P) PREVIOUSLY LOCATED
NEAR 13.4S 146.8E, IS NOW LOCATED NEAR 12.0S 145.1E, APPROXIMATELY
184 NM SOUTHWEST OF PORT MORESBY, PAPUA NEW GUINEA. ANIMATED
ENHANCED INFRARED SATELLITE IMAGERY AND A 281700Z SSMI 85GHZ
MICROWAVE IMAGE DEPICT A SLOWLY CONSOLIDATING LOW LEVEL CIRCULATION
CENTER (LLCC) WITH SOME DEEP CONVECTION DISPLACED TO THE SOUTH. A
281206Z ASCAT PASS REVEALED AN ORGANIZING LLCC WITH STRONGER WINDS
DISPLACED FROM THE CENTER. OVERALL, THE ENVIRONMENT IS MARGINALLY
FAVORABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT WITH MODERATE TO HIGH (20-30 KT) VERTICAL
WIND SHEAR, FAIR POLEWARD OUTFLOW, AND WARM SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES
(28-30 CELSIUS). GLOBAL MODELS ARE IN RELATIVELY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH
THE SYSTEM CONTINUING TO DEVELOP WITHIN 48 HOURS. GLOBAL MODELS SHOW
GENERALLY STATIONARY OR A SLIGHT LOOPING MOTION IN THE NEAR TERM
OVER THE YORK PENINSULA OF AUSTRALIA, AS A SECOND CIRCULATION
POTENTIALLY APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED SURFACE
WINDS ARE ESTIMATED AT 22 TO 27 KNOTS. MINIMUM SEA LEVEL PRESSURE IS
ESTIMATED TO BE NEAR 1002 MB. THE POTENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A
SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL CYCLONE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS IS UPGRADED TO
MEDIUM.
