THE AREA OF CONVECTION PREVIOUSLY LOCATED NEAR 19.9N
116.7E, HAS BEEN RELOCATED TO 20.0N 117.3E, APPROXIMATELY 220 NM
SOUTHEAST OF HONG KONG. RECENT ANIMATED INFRARED SATELLITE IMAGERY
SHOWS DEEP CONVECTIVE BANDING PERSISTING ALONG THE EASTERN PERIPHERY
OF A BROAD LOW-LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER (LLCC) EVIDENT IN A 131256Z
PARTIAL ASCAT PASS. THIS DISTURBANCE HAS A MONSOON DEPRESSION
STRUCTURE, WITH 30 TO 35 KNOT WINDS DISPLACED WELL TO THE EAST OF
THE CIRCULATION CENTER AND A BROAD CORE OF WEAKER WINDS (15-25
KNOTS). THE FLOW ASSOCIATED WITH A WEAK UPPER LEVEL LOW TO THE
NORTHWEST OF THE LLCC IS INDUCING MODERATE SOUTHWESTERLY VERTICAL
WIND SHEAR AND SUBSIDENCE OVER THE NORTHWESTERN PERIPHERY OF THE
CIRCULATION. ALTHOUGH UPPER-LEVEL CONDITIONS ARE CURRENTLY
UNFAVORABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT, A TEMPORARY RELAXATION OF THE VERTICAL
WIND SHEAR OR SUBSIDENCE ALOFT OVER THE NEXT DAY OR TWO COULD ENABLE
RAPID CONSOLIDATION OF THIS DISTURBANCE INTO A TROPICAL CYCLONE.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED SURFACE WINDS ARE ESTIMATED AT 20 TO 25 KNOTS.
MINIMUM SEA LEVEL PRESSURE IS ESTIMATED TO BE NEAR 996 MB. GIVEN THE
LOW OBSERVED CENTRAL PRESSURE AND POSSIBILITY OF IMPROVING UPPER-
LEVEL SUPPORT, THE POTENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SIGNIFICANT
TROPICAL CYCLONE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS IS UPGRADED TO MEDIUM.