Forecasters monitoring areas of disturbed weather far ESE of the Big Island

Forecasters with the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu continue to monitor two areas of disturbed weather far east-southeast of the Big Island.

The first area of concern is located about 1,200 miles east-southeast of the Big Island where a broad low-pressure system continues to see shower and thunderstorm activity. While the storm activity has changed little during the past several hours, environmental conditions are expected to become conducive for development of a tropical cyclone during the next several days. The system, which is moving west at 10 mph, should enter the Central North Pacific Basin by Thursday.

Forecasters gave the area a 30 percent chance of forming into a tropical cyclone within the coming 48 hours and a 70 percent chance of forming into a tropical cyclone during the next 5 days. The National Hurricane Center in Miami is also monitoring the system because it is currently located in the Eastern Pacific.

The second area of concern to forecasters is now located about 900 miles from the Big Island where showers and thunderstorms remain disorganized along a surface trough. Development of this system should be slow as it moves toward the west-northwest at 10 mph.

Forecasters gave the system a 10 percent chance of forming into a tropical cyclone within the coming 48 hours.

The Central North Pacific Basin is located between 140 degrees west longitude and the International Dateline. Central Pacific Hurricane Center officials predicted four to seven tropical cyclones this year in the Central North Pacific Basin. Overall, they give this season an 80 percent chance for a normal to above average number of tropical storms to form.

The Central Pacific hurricane season began June 1 and ends Nov. 30.