KAILUA-KONA — Two tropical cyclones are churning in the Eastern Pacific, forecasters with the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said Wednesday.
KAILUA-KONA — Two tropical cyclones are churning in the Eastern Pacific, forecasters with the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said Wednesday.
Neither system is currently a threat to the Hawaiian Islands, however, surf from one of the systems is expected to reach Hawaiian waters as early as this evening.
Newly formed Tropical Storm Fernanda was located 2,900 miles east of the Big Island and packing 40 mph winds as of Wednesday morning, forecasters said. It’s expected to continue strengthening during the next couple of days as it heads west at 10 mph.
According to forecasters, large-scale models suggest that current shear should subside over the next day or so and then remain light through the remainder of the forecast period. The reduced wind shear, which often helps to weaken storms, combined with 82- to 84-degree waters, should allow the system to intensify.
Fernanda could become a hurricane as early as Friday morning, forecasters said. Within five days, it could be packing 105 mph as it churns 1,500 miles east of the Big Island. On its current track, Fernanda could enter the Central Pacific Basin, which is where Hawaii is located, next week.
Meanwhile, Tropical Depression Eugene continues to weaken as it tracks northwest about 510 miles west-southwest of Punta Eugenia, Mexico. As of Wednesday morning, the depression was packing 35 mph winds. It was expected to be downgraded to a remnant low Wednesday evening.