WDPN31 PGTW 261500 MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI// SUBJ/PROGNOSTIC REASONING FOR TROPICAL DEPRESSION 21W (TWENTYONE) WARNING NR 02// RMKS// 1. FOR METEOROLOGISTS. 2. 6 HOUR SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS. TROPICAL DEPRESSION (TD) 21W (TWENTYONE), LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 468 NM SOUTHEAST OF MANILA, PHILIPPINES, HAS TRACKED WESTWARD AT 09 KNOTS OVER THE PAST SIX HOURS. ANIMATED ENHANCED INFRARED (EIR) SATELLITE IMAGERY INDICATES A CONSOLIDATING LOW-LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER (LLCC) WITH FORMATIVE CONVECTIVE BANDING. A 261310Z METOP-B 89 GHZ IMAGE INDICATES SLIGHT WEAKENING OF DEEP CONVECTIVE BANDING DUE TO INTERACTION WITH LAND, AS THE SYSTEM TRACKS OVER MINDANAO, HOWEVER, THE INITIAL INTENSITY REMAINS ASSESSED AT 30 KNOTS, HEDGED SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THE DVORAK ESTIMATES OF 25 KNOTS (T1.5), BASED ON A 260027Z ASCAT IMAGE SHOWING 25 TO 30 KNOT WINDS OVER THE EASTERN SEMI-CIRCLE. THE INITIAL POSITION IS BASED ON EIR AND THE METOP-B IMAGE WITH FAIR CONFIDENCE. THE UPPER-LEVEL ENVIRONMENT IS FAVORABLE WITH LOW VERTICAL WIND SHEAR AND GOOD POLEWARD VENTING. TD 21W IS CURRENTLY TRACKING WESTWARD UNDER THE STEERING INFLUENCE OF THE SUBTROPICAL RIDGE (STR) ENTRENCHED TO THE NORTH. 3. FORECAST REASONING. A. NO CHANGE TO FORECAST PHILOSOPHY SINCE THE PREVIOUS PROGNOSTIC REASONING MESSAGE. B. TD 21W IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE TRACKING WESTWARD ALONG THE SOUTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE STR, WHICH IS ORIENTED EAST-WEST TO THE NORTH. DYNAMIC GUIDANCE IS IN TIGHT AGREEMENT AND REFLECTS A STRONG STR THROUGH TAU 72 (AND BEYOND). TD 21W IS FORECAST TO WEAKEN SLIGHTLY AS IT TRACKS OVER NORTHERN MINDANAO OVER THE NEXT 12 HOURS, HOWEVER, THE SYSTEM SHOULD INTENSIFY AS IT EMERGES OVER THE SULU SEA AS IT TRACKS OVER WARM SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE AND MAINTAINS GOOD POLEWARD OUTFLOW. THE GREATEST UNCERTAINTY IS WITH THE INTENSITY FORECAST, WHICH IS CONSERVATIVE DUE TO THE IMPENDING LAND INTERACTION AND RELATIVELY FAST TRACK SPEEDS, HOWEVER, OVERALL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN FAVORABLE AND A HIGHER PEAK INTENSITY IS POSSIBLE. C. IN THE EXTENDED TAUS, TD 21W IS FORECAST TO MAKE LANDFALL NEAR TAU 84, OVER THE EASTERN COAST OF VIETNAM, AND WILL RAPIDLY DISSIPATE AS IT TRACKS INLAND. OVERALL, THERE IS HIGH CONFIDENCE IN THE JTWC FORECAST TRACK DUE TO THE TIGHT GROUPING OF DYNAMIC AIDS.// NNNN