Hurricane Erick to bring heavy rainfall to Hawaii. Flossie weakened to Tropical Storm
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- Update Erick, weakened to Tropical Storm, continues to rapidly weaken well south of the Big Island. At 9:00 a.m. UTC, the center of Tropical Storm Erick was located near 16.4N 155.8W, moving toward the west-northwest near 13 mph (20 km/h) and this motion is expected to continue over the next couple of days. A turn toward the northwest at a slower is expected on Sunday. On the forecast track, the center of Erick will pass by around 175 miles south of the Big Island tonight.
- Update At 3:00 p.m. UTC, the center of Hurricane Erick was located near 15.9N 152.4W, moving toward the WNW near 15 mph (24 km/h), with max. sustained winds are near 85 mph (140 km/h). Erick is forecast to pass within about 200 miles south of the Big Island of Hawaii later today and tonight.
- Update Erick weakens and was downgraded to a category 1 hurricane. The hazards affecting land: Surf: Swells generated by Erick will arrive in the Hawaiian Islands the next couple of days, potentially producing dangerous surf conditions, mainly along east and southeast facing shores. Rainfall: Moisture associated with Erick will spread over portions of the Hawaiian Islands Thursday through Saturday, bringing the potential for localized heavy rainfall. Total rainfall amounts of 4 to 6 inches are possible, with localized higher totals.
- Update Watch the 12 hours satellite loop from 31 July 2019, 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. UTC (color-enhanced infra)
- Update: Slowly weakening Hurricane Erick is moving toward the west-northwest near 14 mph (22 km/h) with max. sustained winds near 115 mph (185 km/h), maintaining its category 3 hurricane status.
Flossie weakened to Tropical Storm (max. sustained winds have decreased to near 70 mph / 110 km/h, but re-strengthening is expected by the end of the week becoming a hurricane again in a couple of days (31 July 2019, 9:00 p.m. UTC)
5 day cones by NOAA/NHC:
Track the path of the hurricanes Erick and Flossie with Windy hurricane tracker
Earlier coverage
Hurricane twins, Erick and Flossie, are sliding west in the Pacific Ocean.
Both hurricanes are forecast to weaken before reaching Hawaii late this week and early next week. Therefore the risk is not in the wind speeds, although the leftover swirl may cause enhanced rainfall and high surf in the island chain.
Swells generated by Erick are forecast to arrive in the Hawaiian Islands over the next couple of days, potentially producing dangerous surf conditions, mainly along east facing shores.
Moisture associated with Erick is forecast to spread over the Hawaiian Islands by Thursday afternoon and produce heavy rainfall. Rainfall is expected to be heaviest over the east and southeast slopes of the Big Island of Hawaii.
Slowly weakening Flossie is forecast to become a hurricane again in a few days.
Hurricane Erick
At 9:00 a.m. UTC, the center of Hurricane Erick (category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale) was located near latitude 14.2 North, longitude 146.3 West, NHC's forecaster Donaldson reports.
Erick is moving toward the west near 12 mph (19 km/h) with maximum sustained winds near 125 mph (205 km/h) with higher gusts. The estimated minimum central pressure is 954 mb (28.17 inches).
At 3:00 p.m. UTC, the center of Hurricane Erick was located near latitude 14.5 N, longitude 147.5 W. Erick was moving toward the west near 13 mph (20 km/h).
Maximum sustained winds were near 120 mph (195 km/h), a category 3 hurricane strenght on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 30 miles (45 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles (205 km).
The estimated minimum central pressure was 958 mb (28.29 inches).
9:00 a.m. UTC summary
Location: 14.2N 146.3W
Max. sustained winds: 125 mph (205 km/h)
Movement: W or 280 degrees at 12 mph (19 km/h)
Min. central pressure: 954 mb (28.17 inches)3:00 p.m. UTC summary
Location: 14.5N 147.5W
Max. sustained winds: 120 mph (195 km/h)
Movement: W or 280 degrees at 13 mph (20 km/h)
Min. central pressure: 958 mb (28.29 inches)9:00 p.m. UTC summary
Location: 14.8N 148.8W
Max. sustained winds: 115 mph (185 km/h)
Movement: W or 289 degrees at 14 mph (22 km/h)
Min. central pressure: 960 mb (28.35 inches)TC Flossie
At 9:00 a.m. UTC, the center of Hurricane Flossie was located near latitude 13.5 North, longitude 124.4 West, NHC's torecaster Berg reports.
Flossie is moving toward the west-northwest near 15 mph (24 km/h), and this general motion is expected to continue through Friday. Maximum sustained winds are near 80 mph (130 km/h) with higher gusts.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles (45 km) to the northeast of the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles (165 km) from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure was 990 mb (29.24 inches).
At 3:00 p.m. UTC, the maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 75 mph (120 km/h), confirming the forecast weakening. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles (45 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles (165 km).
Although Flossie is expected to weaken to tropical-storm strength later today, re-strengthening is possible later this week, and Flossie is forecast to become a hurricane again in a few days.
9:00 a.m. UTC summary
Location: 13.5N 124.4W
Max. sustained winds: 80 mph (130 km/h)
Movement: WNW or 285 gedrees at 15 mph (24 km/h)
Min. central pressure: 990 mb (29.24 inches)3:00 p.m. UTC summary
Location: 14.0N 125.8W
Max. sustained winds: 75 mph (120 km/h)
Movement: WNW or 285 degrees at 15 mph (24 km/h)
Min. central pressure: 991 mb (29.27 inches)9:00 p.m. UTC summary**
Location: 14.0°N 127.3°W
Max. sustained winds: 70 mph (110 km/h)
Movement: W at 16 mph (26 km/h)
Min. central pressure: 995 mb (29.39 inches)