Tropical Depression Nine-E Discussion Number 1
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL EP092018
200 PM PDT Thu Jul 26 2018
Satellite data indicate that the low pressure system located over
the far western portion of the eastern Pacific basin has developed
sufficient organization to be classified a tropical depression, the
ninth one of the season and second one of the afternoon. The
initial intensity is set to 30 kt. Although the depression is
expected to be over warm SSTs and in a moist environment during the
next few days, strong northerly shear should prevent strengthening.
The intensity guidance shows little change in strength through the
forecast period, and most of the global models show the system
opening into a trough within the next few days. Based on this
information, the NHC official intensity forecast shows a steady
30-kt depression through the period, but it would not be surprising
if the cyclone dissipated sometime in the forecast period.
The depression is moving to the west at 12 kt steered by the flow
on the south side of a mid-level ridge. This general motion is
expected during the next several days, taking the system into the
central Pacific basin in 24 to 36 hours, and well south of the
Hawaiian Islands in 4 to 5 days. The NHC track forecast lies near
the various consensus models.