WTPN21 PGTW 152230 MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI// SUBJ/TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION ALERT (INVEST 98W)// RMKS/ 1. FORMATION OF A SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL CYCLONE IS POSSIBLE WITHIN 120 NM EITHER SIDE OF A LINE FROM 17.3N 130.5E TO 19.4N 125.8E WITHIN THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS. AVAILABLE DATA DOES NOT JUSTIFY ISSUANCE OF NUMBERED TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNINGS AT THIS TIME. WINDS IN THE AREA ARE ESTIMATED TO BE 18 TO 23 KNOTS. METSAT IMAGERY AT 151800Z INDICATES THAT A CIRCULATION CENTER IS LOCATED NEAR 17.5N 130.0E. THE SYSTEM IS MOVING NORTHWESTWARD AT 10 KNOTS. 2. REMARKS: (1) THE AREA OF CONVECTION (INVEST 98W) PREVIOUSLY LOCATED NEAR 16.0N 132.9E, IS NOW LOCATED NEAR 17.5N 130.0E, APPROXIMATELY 521 NM SOUTHEAST OF ISHIGAKI-JIMA, JAPAN. ANIMATED ENHANCED INFRARED SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS A LARGE AREA OF CONVECTION UNCOUPLED FROM AND FAR TO THE WEST OF THE LOW LEVEL CIRCULATION (LLC). A 152029Z SSMIS F-18 89GHZ SHOWS NO DEEP CONVECTION ABOVE THE LLC AND NO INDICATION OF LOW-LEVEL WRAPPING. A 151303Z METOP-B ASCAT PASS DEPICTS A BROAD LLC WITH TROUGHING EXTENDING TO THE SOUTHWEST AND HIGH (20 TO 30 KNOT) WINDS GREATER THAN 100 NM DISTANT TO THE NORTH AND SOUTH. 98W IS CURRENTLY IN A FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT WITH VERY GOOD WESTWARD AND POLEWARD UPPER LEVEL OUTFLOW, LOW (5 TO 10 KNOT) VERTICAL WIND SHEAR, AND VERY WARM (30 TO 31 CELSIUS) SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES. GLOBAL MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT 98W WILL TRACK GENERALLY WEST WHILE MAINTAING A VERY EXPANSIVE WIND FIELD UNTIL IT BEGINS TO INTERACT WITH AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AROUND TAU 96, ELONGATING AND DEFORMING THE SYSTEM, PREVENTING FULL TROPICAL CONSOLIDATION. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED SURFACE WINDS ARE ESTIMATED AT 18 TO 23 KNOTS. MINIMUM SEA LEVEL PRESSURE IS ESTIMATED TO BE NEAR 997 MB. THE POTENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL CYCLONE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS IS HIGH. 3. THIS ALERT WILL BE REISSUED, UPGRADED TO WARNING OR CANCELLED BY 162230Z.// NNNN