THE INITIAL INTENSITY IS ASSESSED WITH MODERATE CONFIDENCE BASED ON DVORAK CURRENT INTENSITY ESTIMATES OF T1.5 (25 KNOTS) FROM BOTH PGTW AND KNES. THE AFOREMENTIONED ASCAT DATA DID INDICATE 30 KNOT WINDS WITH SOME ISOLATED 35 KNOT WINDS IN THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT, HOWEVER THESE HIGHER WINDS ARE ALL CONFINED TO THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF THE SYSTEM, WITH ONLY 15-20 KNOT MAXIMUM WINDS ON THE NORTHERN SIDE. DUE TO THIS ASYMMETRY, THE INITIAL INTENSITY WAS SET AT 25 KNOTS.
