096 
 WTNT43 KNHC 231226
 TCDAT3
 HURRICANE HELENE SPECIAL DISCUSSION NUMBER  45
 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL   AL082006
 800 AM EDT SAT SEP 23 2006
  
 THIS SPECIAL ADVISORY IS BEING ISSUED TO UPDATE THE INITIAL AND
 FORECAST INTENSITY AND WIND RADII FOR HELENE. THE TRACK FORECAST IS
 UNCHANGED FROM THE PREVIOUS ADVISORY. A RECENT QUIKSCAT PASS
 INDICATES THAT HELENE CONTAINS A LARGE AREA OF HURRICANE FORCE
 WINDS SOUTHWEST OF THE CENTER.  THE ADVISORY INTENSITY OF 80 KT IS
 BASED ON THE STRONGEST WIND IN THE QUIKSCAT DATA...WHICH WAS
 OUTSIDE OF DEEP CONVECTION IN THE SOUTHWEST QUADRANT.  THE WIND
 RADII HAVE BEEN EXPANDED ALSO BASED ON THE QUIKSCAT DATA.  EVEN
 THOUGH HELENE HAS STRENGTHENED...IT CONTINUES TO LOSE TROPICAL
 CHARACTERISTICS AND IS EXPECTED TO TRANSFORM INTO AN EXTRATROPICAL
 CYCLONE LATER TODAY.  
  
 FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS
  
 INITIAL      23/1200Z 37.4N  47.2W    80 KT
  12HR VT     23/1800Z 38.2N  44.8W    75 KT...EXTRATROPICAL
  24HR VT     24/0600Z 39.7N  40.3W    70 KT...EXTRATROPICAL
  36HR VT     24/1800Z 41.5N  35.8W    65 KT...EXTRATROPICAL
  48HR VT     25/0600Z 43.3N  31.7W    60 KT...EXTRATROPICAL
  72HR VT     26/0600Z 46.8N  23.9W    55 KT...EXTRATROPICAL
  96HR VT     27/0600Z 50.4N  16.5W    45 KT...EXTRATROPICAL
 120HR VT     28/0600Z 55.0N  10.0W    40 KT...EXTRATROPICAL
  
 $$
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