AN AREA OF CONVECTION HAS PERSISTED NEAR 21.5N 132.0E,
APPROXIMATELY 375 NM SOUTHEAST OF OKINAWA, JAPAN. ANIMATED INFRARED
IMAGERY SHOWS DEEP CONVECTION STARTING TO FLARE ON THE WESTERN SIDE
OF A PARTIALLY EXPOSED LOW LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER (LLCC) EMBEDDED
WITHIN THE MONSOON TROUGH. A 022103Z QUIKSCAT PASS SHOWS A DEFINED
WINDFIELD CIRCULATION, FURTHER CONFIRMING THE PRESENCE OF A
DEVELOPING LLCC. THE SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY LOCATED UNDER THE RIDGE OF
AN UPPER-LEVEL ANTICYCLONE AND ANIMATED WATER VAPOR IMAGERY DEPICTS
BOTH POLEWARD AND EQUATORWARD OUTFLOW. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED SURFACE
WINDS ARE ESTIMATED AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS. MINIMUM SEA LEVEL PRESSURE IS
ESTIMATED TO BE NEAR 998 MB. THE POTENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A
SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL CYCLONE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS IS FAIR.