The satellite presentation of Hurricane Hector has improved overnight, with a well defined 10 to 15 nautical mile wide eye surrounded by a large ring of -70 to -80 Celsius cloud tops. The latest subjective Dvorak current intensity estimates from SAB and JTWC came in at 6.5 (127 knots), while PHFO came in at 6.0 (115 knots). The latest estimate using the Advanced Dvorak technique from UW-CIMSS yielded 6.8 (135 […]
Hector continues to maintain a 10-15 n mi wide eye surrounded by a ring of -60 to -70 degrees Celsius cloud tops. The eye has become slightly less distinct this morning and recent microwave data suggest that an eyewall replacement cycle could be occurring. A 1111 UTC AMSR2 microwave overpass shows a double eyewall structure with the inner eyewall open to the southwest. The various subjective and objective satellite estimates […]
The satellite presentation of Hector has degraded over the past several hours, with only occasional hints of an eye in the latest imagery. More notably, an AMSR2 microwave pass at 0945Z shows a secondary eyewall structure beginning, with a ring of convection noted at about a 30 n mi radius. All these data indicate that Hector has weakened, so the initial wind speed is conservatively reduced to 80 kt, near […]
Having formed as a tropical storm Wednesday, Hector reached hurricane status this morning and is continuing its march toward the Central Pacific. Packing maximum sustained winds of 85 mph and moving west at 14 mph, Hector was about 2,026 miles east-southeast of Hilo as of 5 a.m. Officials at the Central Pacific Hurricane Center said they expect Hector to continue to strengthen and proceed on its current course over the […]
PERIODS OF VOLCANIC EMISSIONS ARE LIKELY FROM KILAUEA VOLCANO AND A VENT ALONG THE EAST RIFT ZONE... Over the past 24 hours web cams and local reports indicate volcanic emissions continue to erupt from Halemaumau Crater, an active fissure in Leilani Estates, and from lava flowing into the ocean near Kapoho. Low level winds will remain light overnight then becoming easterly to southeasterly by Friday morning, pushing ash and particulates […]
Forecasters are calling for normal to above-normal tropical cyclone activity within the Central Pacific this hurricane season. Three to six tropical cyclones — a category that includes depressions, storms and hurricanes — are expected to pass through the basin this year the Central North Pacific basin this year, said Robert Ballard, science and operations officer at NOAA’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu. The 2018 Central Pacific hurricane season starts […]
FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON... The Flash Flood Watch continues for * The entire state of Hawaii. * Through 6 PM Friday. * The remnants of an old front lingering across the state in combination with an upper level trough moving overhead, will bring the threat for heavy rainfall and flash flooding. The heaviest rainfall is expected to fall from Oahu eastward to the Big Island, […]
Lightning causes power outages on Hawai‘i Island HILO, April 15, 2018 – Hawai‘i Electric Light reports that customers in north and east Hawai‘i experienced power outages caused by thunderstorms impacting Hawai‘i Island this weekend. About 2,100 customers in north Kohala experienced an extended power outage Saturday evening. The outage began at about 5:40 p.m. and was necessary to allow crews to make temporary repairs to two transmission poles on Kohala […]
Flood Advisory Alert: ...THE FLOOD ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 445 PM HST FOR THE ISLAND OF HAWAII IN HAWAII COUNTY... At 234 PM HST...radar indicated continued heavy showers and thunderstorms over the leeward slopes, the saddle, and Kohala Mountains. The heaviest showers and thunderstorms are producing rain rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour between Kamuela and Puuanahulu along Mamalahoa Highway. Be aware of hazardous driving and rapid […]
