High surf generated by Hurricane Olaf, which restrengthened to a Category 3 storm Friday, is expected to continue through Saturday evening, forecasters said
High surf generated by Hurricane Olaf, which restrengthened to a Category 3 storm Friday, is expected to continue through Saturday evening, forecasters said
As of Friday evening, Olaf was centered about 615 miles east-southeast of Hilo, circulating 120 mph winds and tracking north-northeast at 10 mph, forecasters said. Olaf had weakened to a Category 2 storm with 110 mph winds Thursday morning, however, the weather system, which was encountering little wind shear and moving over 82- to 84-degree waters, restrengthened to a Category 3 storm early Friday.
The hurricane is expected to weaken in the coming days as it tracks north-northwest. By Wednesday evening, forecasters expect Olaf will be a tropical depression more than 1,100 miles northeast of Hilo.
Thereafter, forecasters say the storm will be steered by a high pressure system to its south that will result in a decrease in forward speed. The storm is expected briefly become stationary before making a turn back toward the west.
Though Olaf is not a direct threat to Hawaii, surf generated by the hurricane continues to impact south- and east-facing shores of the Big Island, the National Weather Service said. A high surf warning remains in effect for northern, eastern and southern coasts through 6 p.m. Saturday. Wave heights of 12 to 18 feet are forecast. A high surf advisory also continues for south-facing shores through 6 a.m. Saturday. Wave heights of 5 to 8 feet are expected along the Kona Coast.
Elsewhere in the Central Pacific, no tropical cyclones are expected to form through Sunday afternoon.
Closer to North America, Hurricane Patricia made landfall over southwestern Mexico as a Category 4 storm, the National Hurricane Center said. As of 5 p.m. Friday, Patricia was a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 130 mph.
The National Hurricane Center was also keeping tabs on an area of low pressure expected to develop several hundred miles off the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula this weekend. It has just a 20 percent chance of developing into a tropical depression within five days.
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