Tropical Storm Olaf’s winds intensify in Pacific Ocean

Tropical Depression Nineteen-E strengthened into Tropical Storm Olaf Friday evening.

According to the NWS, tropical moisture is expected to reach the Big Island of Hawaiʻi and Maui County this weekend with an increase in showers forecast.

NOAA’s GOES-West satellite captured an infrared image of Tropical Depression Nora at 10 a.m. EDT on October 15 that showed the thunderstorms were in a band east of the center of circulation.

At 5 p.m. Wednesday, the center of Tropical Depression 19-E was located about 1040 miles south-southwest of the southern tip of Baja, California.

The storm’s maximum sustained winds increased overnight to 50 miles per hour (85 kph), and it was moving west at 12 miles per hour (19 kph).

In the middle of the Eastern Pacific, a low pressure became more organized early on Saturday morning to become the next named system in the basin.

Forecasters say strengthening is likely and the storm could strengthen into a hurricane by Sunday.

The Central and Eastern Pacific hurricane seasons continue through November 30.