ALTHOUGH CLOUD TOPS HAVE BEEN WARMING RECENTLY...SOME CONVECTIVE BANDING FEATURES HAVE FORMED OVER THE EASTERN SEMICIRCLE OF THE CIRCULATION. THE CENTER IS NOT READILY DISCERNABLE...BUT IS ESTIMATED TO BE LOCATED NEAR THE SOUTHWESTERN EDGE OF THE MAIN CLOUD MASS. DVORAK T-NUMBERS FROM BOTH TAFB AND SAB REMAIN AT 2.5...SO THE ADVISORY INTENSITY IS HELD AT 35 KT. ALTHOUGH THE ENVIRONMENT...IN PARTICULAR THE VERTICAL SHEAR...IS EXPECTED TO BE ONLY MARGINALLY CONDUCIVE FOR INTENSIFICATION OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS...SOME SLIGHT STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE. THIS IS INDICATED IN THE OFFICIAL WIND SPEED FORECAST...WHICH IS CLOSE TO THE MODEL CONSENSUS FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. LATER IN THE PERIOD...THE OFFICIAL FORECAST IS A COMPROMISE BETWEEN THE SEEMINGLY OVER-AGGRESSIVE LGEM AND THE GLOBAL AND HWRF MODELS THAT SHOW DISSIPATION OR A VERY WEAK SYSTEM BY 5 DAYS.