Ignacio Expected to Strengthen, Enter Central Pacific Waters

-Tropical Storm: A tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 39 to 73 miles per hour (34 to 63 knots). At that time, it became the ninth named tropical storm of the Eastern Pacific hurricane season.

Ignacio should remain over warm sea surface temperatures and in an environment of light vertical wind shear for at least the next two days, which should allow continued strengthening to a major hurricane.

The Hawaii County Civil Defense has issued the first audio message on the approaching Hurricane Ignacio, which is now 1,135 east southeast of Hilo and on the verge of crossing over into the Central Pacific Basin. “Ignacio will slowly strengthen through late Saturday…then begin to weaken”. By the end of the 5-day forecast, on Tuesday September 1, the system is expected to be located 85 Michigan (140 km) southeast of Hawaii having weakened to a Category 1 storm. The storm is moving toward the west-northwest near 13 mph and is expected to continue this motion for the next 48 hours.

When NASA’s Aqua satellite passed over Tropical Storm Kilo early on August 27, infrared imagery showed that bands of thunderstorms wrapped more than halfway around the system.

NHC continues to monitor Tropical Storm Jimena, located just off the coast of Mexico and about 890 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja, Calif., traveling at 17 mph in a west-northwest direction.

For now, this system is no threat to land the next five days as it tracks westward behind Ignacio.

Jimena is still too far away to estimate its impact, if any, on Hawaii’s weather. The National Hurricane Center official forecast brings Jimena to major hurricane status (Category 3) by early next week.

“Currently, Ignacio has sustained winds of 90 miles per hour with higher gusts”, said the familiar voice of HCCD administrator Daryl Oliveira in the radio alert. A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for Anguilla, Saba and St. Eustatius, St. Maarten, St. Martin, St. Barthelemy, Montserrat, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra, U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands. Tropical storm force winds extend 70 miles from the center.