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Twenty

Western Pacific Tropical Depression · WP202026
16.7°N, 161.4°E
Moving SE at 7 mph
Max Winds
35 mph
Pressure
1002 mb
Forecast Points
6

Summary

Tropical Depression 20W is a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph. As of 270000Z, it was located about 335 nautical miles west-southwest of Wake Island and had been moving southeast at about 7 mph over the past six hours. JTWC expects the storm to turn eastward in the short term, then gradually turn northeast and then north after about 24 hours as steering winds shift. Forecast positions keep the system over water while it moves generally east and then north through the next couple of days. Some strengthening is possible after about 12 hours as wind shear decreases, but development is expected to be limited by weak outflow aloft, dry air, and episodes of shear linked to Tropical Depression 21W. The forecast calls for a peak near 45 knots (about 52 mph) around 48 hours, followed by weakening as 20W is captured and absorbed into Tropical Depression 21W between about 36 and 48 hours, and dissipates as a significant tropical cyclone by about 72 hours. Significant wave height was 12 feet at 270000Z.
Key messages
  • Tropical Depression 20W has maximum sustained winds of 35 mph and is forecast to turn from an eastward motion to a northeastward and then northward track over the next 1–2 days.
  • A brief strengthening trend is possible, with a forecast peak near 52 mph around 48 hours before the system weakens.
  • The system is expected to be captured and absorbed into Tropical Depression 21W, dissipating as a significant tropical cyclone by about 72 hours.

Forecast intensity

JTWC forecast maximum sustained winds (mph) by hour.

Satellite Imagery (IR)

Twenty IR satellite
CIRA/RAMMB · 27 Aug 04:10 UTC
JTWC Warning #4 27 Aug 00:00 UTC
WTPN33 PGTW 270300
MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI//
SUBJ/TROPICAL DEPRESSION 20W (TWENTY) WARNING NR 004//
RMKS/
1. TROPICAL DEPRESSION 20W (TWENTY) WARNING NR 004    
   03 ACTIVE TROPICAL CYCLONES IN NORTHWESTPAC
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS BASED ON ONE-MINUTE AVERAGE
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
    ---
   WARNING POSITION:
   270000Z --- NEAR 16.7N 161.4E
     MOVEMENT PAST SIX HOURS - 135 DEGREES AT 06 KTS
     POSITION ACCURATE TO WITHIN 040 NM
     POSITION BASED ON CENTER LOCATED BY SATELLITE
   PRESENT WIND DISTRIBUTION:
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 030 KT, GUSTS 040 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   REPEAT POSIT: 16.7N 161.4E
    ---
   FORECASTS:
   12 HRS, VALID AT:
   271200Z --- 17.0N 163.2E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 030 KT, GUSTS 040 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   VECTOR TO 24 HR POSIT: 050 DEG/ 11 KTS
    ---
   24 HRS, VALID AT:
   280000Z --- 18.4N 164.9E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 035 KT, GUSTS 045 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 020 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            030 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            020 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            000 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   VECTOR TO 36 HR POSIT: 020 DEG/ 12 KTS
    ---
   36 HRS, VALID AT:
   281200Z --- 20.7N 165.9E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 040 KT, GUSTS 050 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 050 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            050 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            020 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            000 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   VECTOR TO 48 HR POSIT: 005 DEG/ 13 KTS
    ---
   EXTENDED OUTLOOK:
   48 HRS, VALID AT:
   290000Z --- 23.2N 166.1E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 045 KT, GUSTS 055 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 060 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            060 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            020 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            040 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   VECTOR TO 60 HR POSIT: 350 DEG/ 14 KTS
    ---
   60 HRS, VALID AT:
   291200Z --- 25.9N 165.7E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 040 KT, GUSTS 050 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   DISSIPATING AS A SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL CYCLONE OVER WATER
   RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 100 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
                            090 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
                            030 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
                            050 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
   VECTOR TO 72 HR POSIT: 355 DEG/ 18 KTS
    ---
   72 HRS, VALID AT:
   300000Z --- 29.4N 165.4E
   MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 030 KT, GUSTS 040 KT
   WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
   DISSIPATED AS A SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL CYCLONE OVER WATER
    ---
REMARKS:
270300Z POSITION NEAR 16.8N 161.9E. 27AUG26. TROPICAL DEPRESSION 20W 
(TWENTY), LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 335 NM WEST-SOUTHWEST OF WAKE ISLAND, 
HAS TRACKED SOUTHEASTWARD AT 06 KNOTS OVER THE PAST SIX HOURS. MINIMUM 
CENTRAL PRESSURE AT 270000Z IS 1002 MB. MAXIMUM SIGNIFICANT WAVE 
HEIGHT AT 270000Z IS 12 FEET. NEXT WARNINGS AT 270900Z, 271500Z, 
272100Z AND 280300Z. REFER TO TYPHOON 17W (SAUDEL) WARNINGS (WTPN31 
PGTW) FOR SIX-HOURLY UPDATES. REFER TO TROPICAL DEPRESSION 21W 
(TWENTYONE) WARNINGS (WTPN32 PGTW) FOR SIX-HOURLY UPDATES.//
NNNN
Forecast Reasoning 27 Aug 03:00 UTC
WDPN33 PGTW 270300
MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI//
SUBJ/PROGNOSTIC REASONING FOR TROPICAL DEPRESSION 20W (TWENTY) 
WARNING NR 004//
RMKS/
1. FOR METEOROLOGISTS.
2. 6 HOUR SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS.

SUMMARY:
   INITIAL POSITION: 16.7N 161.4E
   INITIAL INTENSITY: 30 KTS
   GEOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: 335 NM WEST-SOUTHWEST OF WAKE ISLAND
   MOVEMENT PAST 6 HOURS: SOUTHEASTWARD AT 06 KTS
   SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT: 12 FEET

SATELLITE ANALYSIS, INITIAL POSITION AND INTENSITY DISCUSSION:
ANIMATED MULTISPECTRAL SATELLITE IMAGERY (MSI) DEPICTS A COMPACT AND 
FULLY EXPOSED LOW LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER (LLCC) WHICH HAS 
UNEXPECTEDLY MOVED SOUTHEASTWARD OVER THE PAST SIX HOURS. DEEP 
CONVECTION HAS WANED OVER THE PAST SIX HOURS, AND BEEN PERSISTENTLY 
DISPLACED TO THE NORTH DUE TO MODERATE SOUTHERLY MID-LEVEL SHEAR. 
HOWEVER, IN THE LAST HOUR, DEEP CONVECTION HAS ONCE AGAIN BEGUN TO 
FORM VERY NEAR THE LLCC, PARTICULARLY FOCUSED ON THE NORTHERN FLANK. 
CIMSS DEEP-LAYER SHEAR ANALYSIS SHOWS LIGHT SOUTHERLY SHEAR, BUT MORE 
MODERATE MID-LEVEL SHEAR, WHICH SUPPORTS THE SATELLITE DEPICTION. THE 
INITIAL POSITION IS ASSESSED WITH HIGH CONFIDENCE BASED ON THE EXPOSED 
LLCC IN THE MSI. THE INITIAL INTENSITY IS ASSESSED WITH MEDIUM 
CONFIDENCE, BASED ON A BLEND OF THE OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE INTENSITY 
ESTIMATES NOTED BELOW. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ARE MARGINAL, 
CHARACTERIZED BY WEAK OUTFLOW ALOFT, LOW DEEP-LAYER AND MODERATE MID-
LEVEL SHEAR AND WARM SSTS.

INITIAL WIND RADII BASIS: NOT APPLICABLE (THERE ARE NO INITIAL WIND
RADII).

CURRENT STEERING MECHANISM: WEAK STEERING PATTERN. 

AGENCY DVORAK AND AUTOMATED FIXES: 
   PGTW: T2.0 - 30 KTS
   RJTD: T1.5 - 25 KTS
   PHFO: T2.0 - 30 KTS
   CIMSS ADT: 35 KTS AT 262340Z
   CIMSS AIDT: 36 KTS AT 262340Z
   CIMSS D-MINT: 24 KTS AT 261958Z
   CIMSS D-PRINT: 26 KTS AT 262340Z

FORECASTER ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT ENVIRONMENT: MARGINAL
   VWS: 5-10 KTS
   SST: 29-30 CELSIUS
   OUTFLOW: WEAK POLEWARD
   OTHER FACTORS: BINARY INTERACTION WITH TD 21W. 

ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE:
   INITIAL POSITION: HIGH
   INITIAL INTENSITY: MEDIUM
   INITIAL WIND RADII: NOT APPLICABLE

3. FORECAST REASONING.

SIGNIFICANT FORECAST CHANGES: THE FORECAST HAS BEEN TRUNCATED TO 72
HOURS AND NOW CALLS FOR THE SYSTEM TO DISSIPATE BY MEANS OF ABSORPTION 
INTO TD 21W. 

FORECAST DISCUSSION: TROPICAL DEPRESSION (TD) 20W UNEXPECTEDLY TRACKED 
SOUTHEASTWARD OVER THE PAST SIX HOURS. WHILE THE SPECIFIC FORECAST DID 
NOT ANTICIPATE THIS TRACK VECTOR, THE 12Z AND 18Z ECMWF MODEL DID A 
GOOD JOB PICKING IT UP AND APPEARS TO HAVE INITIALIZED THE BEST OF ALL 
THE GLOBAL MODELS. GOING FORWARD, THE STEERING GRADIENT IS EXPECTED TO 
RAPIDLY SHIFT FROM THE WEST SIDE OF THE CIRCULATION TO THE SOUTHERN 
FLANK, ALONG THE NORTHERN EDGE OF A BAND OF STRONG SOUTHWESTERLY 
MONSOONAL WINDS WHICH EXTENDS FROM GUAM TO EAST OF TD 21W. TD 20W IS 
ALREADY STARTING TO TURN EASTWARD BASED ON THE LATEST MSI FRAMES, AND 
THIS TREND IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE IN THE SHORT-TERM, THOUGH SOME 
ADDITIONAL ERRATIC MOTION IS LIKELY OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS, 
ESPECIALLY IF THE RECENTLY DEVELOPED CONVECTION CAN STICK AND THE LLCC 
ATTEMPTS TO ALIGN. TD 20W IS FORECAST TO TURN GRADUALLY NORTHEAST, 
THEN NORTH AFTER TAU 24 AS IT RIDES UP THE WEST SIDE OF AN EXTENSION 
OF THE STR WHICH PUSHES SOUTHWARD ALONG THE DATELINE. AT THIS POINT, 
THE SYSTEM WILL BEGIN DIRECT BINARY INTERACTION WITH TD 21W, AND IS 
EXPECTED TO BE FULLY CAPTURED BY 21W BETWEEN TAU 36 AND TAU 48. ONCE 
CAPTURED, TD 20W WILL FOLLOW IN THE LEE OF 21W AND BEGIN TO EMBED 
WITHIN ITS WIND FIELD. REGARDING INTENSITY, 20W IS CURRENTLY 415NM 
SOUTHWEST OF TD 21W, FAR ENOUGH DISTANT THAT THE OUTFLOW ASSOCIATED 
WITH 21W IS NOT DIRECTLY IMPACTING 20W YET. MODEL FIELDS SUGGEST A 
REDUCTION IN SHEAR IN THE NEAR-TERM, WHICH SHOULD ALLOW FOR A PERIOD 
OF INTENSIFICATION AFTER TAU 12. TD 20W WILL HOWEVER STRUGGLE WITH 
LIMITED OUTFLOW ALOFT AND THE INFLUENCE OF DRY AIR AS WELL AS BURSTS 
OF OUTFLOW INDUCED SHEAR FROM 21W, WHICH WILL INHIBIT DEVELOPMENT. THE 
PEAK OF 45 KNOTS IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR AROUND TAU 48, BY WHICH POINT 
20W WILL BEGIN TO BE ABSORBED INTO 21W. THE SYSTEM QUOTE DISSIPATES 
UNQUOTE BY TAU 72 AS IT IS FULLY INTEGRATED INTO THE WIND FIELD OF 21W 
THOUGH IT IS EXPECTED TO RETAIN AN ASYMMETRIC WIND FIELD OF AT LEAST 
30 KNOTS AS IT DOES SO.


MODEL DISCUSSION: TRACK GUIDANCE IS IN POOR AGREEMENT, THOUGH THE 
EXACT VALUES OF CROSS-TRACK SPREAD BECOME DIFFICULT TO ASCERTAIN AFTER 
TAU 24, AS THE MODELS ARE BEGINNING TO JUMP CIRCULATIONS BETWEEN 20W 
AND 21W AS THEY UNDERGO BINARY INTERACTION, CAPTURE AND MERGER. IN 
GENERAL HOWEVER, MODEL SPREAD BETWEEN THE GFS AND NAVGEM OPENS UP TO 
AT LEAST 500NM BY TAU 72, WITH EVEN HIGHER SPREAD BETWEEN THE NAVGEM 
AND THE EC-AIFS. THE BULK OF THE GUIDANCE HOWEVER SUPPORTS A GRADUAL 
TURN NORTHWARD IN THE WAKE OF TD 21W, INCLUDING THE ECMWF, WHICH 
NOTABLY SHIFTED TRACK POLEWARD THOUGH THIS MAY BE AN ARTIFACT OF IT 
JUMPING CIRCULATIONS. THE JTWC FORECAST IS PLACED NEAR THE MULTI-MODEL 
CONSENSUS MEAN, WITH VERY LOW CONFIDENCE. INTENSITY GUIDANCE IS 
SUFFERING FROM THE SAME ISSUES OF CIRCULATION JUMPING AS THE TRACK 
GUIDANCE, WHICH RESULTS IN THE MODELS DEPICTING A SHARP 
INTENSIFICATION TREND, WHICH IS EXTREMELY UNLIKELY. THE HAFS-A SEEMS 
TO BE THE ONLY MODEL WITH A GOOD HANDLE ON THE OVERALL SITUATION, 
DEPICTING SOME INTENSIFICATION FOLLOWED BY A GRADUAL WEAKENING BEFORE 
IT TOO SUCCUMBS TO THE JUMPING TREND. THE JTWC FORECAST IS PLACED NEAR 
THE HAFS-A SOLUTION THROUGH TAU 48 THEN DEVIATES SHARPLY LOWER THAN 
ALL THE GUIDANCE MEMBERS, WITH LOW CONFIDENCE. 

FORECAST CONFIDENCE:
   TRACK 00-72 HR: LOW
   INTENSITY 00-72 HR: LOW//
NNNN
Products not available for West Pacific storms
  • NEXRAD radar — no radar coverage over the open West Pacific.
  • Storm-surge inundation — no public storm-surge model for this basin.
  • Wind-speed probabilities — JTWC does not publish them.
  • Watches and warnings — issued by local agencies (PAGASA, JMA, CWA), not JTWC.
  • Reconnaissance aircraft — no routine aircraft reconnaissance in the West Pacific.
  • Rapid-intensification and shear diagnostics — SHIPS-based guidance is not published for this basin.
These are data-availability limits for the West Pacific basin, not omissions.

Source: U.S. Navy/Air Force Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), via the UCAR Tropical Cyclone Guidance Project. JTWC data is in the public domain. · Updated 2026-08-27 03:10 UTC · JMA analysis: Source: Japan Meteorological Agency (10-minute average winds). Satellite imagery: CIRA/RAMMB.