Tropical Storm Henriette which degenerated into a tropical low yesterday has regenerated into a tropical depression again as forecast; it is expected to strengthen back into a tropical storm, but remain well away from the Aloha State of Hawaii. Beyond Henriette, there are no other tropical cyclone threats to Hawaii in its immediate future.
According to meteorologists with the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, Henriette is forecast to regain tropical storm strength later today. As of their last update, the system was located about 550 miles east-northeast of Hilo on Hawaii’s Big Island. Maximum sustained winds are up to 35 mph while barometric pressure is down to 1009 mb or 29.80″ in the center of the system.
The tropical depression is moving toward the west-northwest near 14 mph . A turn to the northwest is expected by tonight, keeping Henriette well to the northeast of the Hawaiian Islands on Sunday. A northwestward motion will then continue through early next week. According to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center, strengthening is forecast during the next couple of days even with Henriette’s expected return to tropical storm status later today.
Beyond the lack of direct impacts to Hawaii, the National Weather Service in Honolulu says Henriette should also have limited indirect impacts on the weather across the state. Trades are then expected to ease beginning late today as Henriette passes north of the islands by early Monday, disrupting the local pressure gradient. In the wake of trades, a land-sea breeze pattern is favored through at least Monday, especially with the veering of low-level winds from an easterly to more southeasterly direction. As a result, leeward and interior islands may experience enhanced shower activity producing hot and humid conditions, as dewpoint values are projected to reach near 70 in many areas.
“This will very much be short-lived, however,” the National Weather Service says, “as once Henriette propagates north of the islands early next week, moderate trades will reestablish presence across the islands by late Tuesday, with a more typical summer weather pattern through the remainder of the forecast period.”
The National Hurricane Center is also issuing advisories on Tropical Storm Ivo, located over the Eastern Pacific basin a couple of hundred miles southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. It is expected to dissipate well before it reaches Hawaii. Elsewhere the National Hurricane Center says there’s no tropical cyclone threat to Hawaii nor are any expected for at least the next 7 days.
