TYPHOON NOGURI - 0014Z, 11-JAN-08

IN WHAT IS RAMPING UP TO BE AN UNPRECEDENTED SEASON, WE NOW MAKE A NOTE OF TYPHOON NOGURI, WHICH, HAVING DRIFTED IN AN ARC FROM THE WESTERN PACIFIC, EAST OF THE PHILIPPINES, TO JUST TO THE EAST OF KYUSHU, THEN EAST FROM THERE, NOW IS POISED TO ENTER THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE TO THE NW OF THE HAWAIAN ISLANDS. IT CURRENTLY IS LOCATED AT 179E, 36N, AND IS DRIFTING ESE AT 25KTS. ASSUMING HURRICANE STRENGTH IS MAINTAINED, UPON CROSSING THE DATE LINE, THIS FEATURE WOULD BE RE-DESIGNATED HURRICANE NOGURI. THIS APPEARS TO SET THE NORMS FOR THIS HIGHLY UNPRECEDENTED (AGW DRIVEN?) SEASON. WE WILL THEREFORE BE PULLING NAMES FROM THE NEPAC 2008 NAMES LIST FOR STORMS REACHING NAMING CRITERIA IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE PORTION OF THE NORTH PACIFIC, AND, LEVERAGING THE TYPHOON NAMES FOR THOSE WHICH ENTER AS TROPICAL STORMS OR TYPHOONS. EOT. FORECASTER - HAY-MAN.