FELICIA LOSES STEAM; TROPICAL STORM WATCH CANCELED

MAUI SHELTERS CLOSE; EOC TO BE DEACTIVATED:

FELICIA 120 MILES E OF KAHULUI, WINDS 35 MPH

OVERVIEW 8/11/09 Monday 11 a.m. HST:

Felicia has been downgraded to a remnant low pressure system, as it moves west over the island chain. Officials with the National Weather service say Felicia has lost all of the key characteristics of a Tropical Cyclone, having produced no deep convention since yesterday.  Forecasters say the system has become ill-defined as it runs up against the terrain of the Big Island and does not present enough of a threat to warrant extra precautionary measures that had been in place yesterday.

(Click to enlarge Image. Image courtesy NOAA, NWS and The National Weather Service)

The system is now centered just east of the Hawaiian Islands or about 120 miles East of Kahului, Maui with sustained winds of 35 mph. But its loss of steam means the Central pacific Hurricane center will no longer be issuing advisories on this system.

The Red Cross closed its nine shelters across Maui County this morning.  Agency officials say only two people were accommodated overnight, but that staff was fully prepared to deal with an influx if they had to.  The County’s Emergency Operating Center in Wailuku was expected to deactivate its operations at noon today.  County officials say the effects have diminished considerably.

STORM TRACKING UPDATE:

Felicia continues dissipating as a tropical depression but still could produce localized heavy rains and some gusty winds.

At 11:00 am HST, the tropical storm watch for Oahu and for all of Maui County, including the islands of Maui, Kahoolawe, Lanai, and Molokai has been discontinued.

At 11:00 am HST, the center of dissipating tropical Depression Felicia was located near latitude 20.6 north...Longitude 154.7 west or about 120 miles east of Kahului, Hawaii and about 210 miles east-southeast of Honolulu, Hawaii.

The dissipating depression is moving toward the west near 9 mph.

The remnant low pressure system is forecast to move slowly westward over the Hawaiian Islands during the next couple of days.

Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph with higher gusts...mostly over the waters to the north of the Hawaiian Islands. Gradual weakening of the system is forecast during the next couple of days.

Estimated minimum central pressure is 1010 mb...29.83 inches.

This is the last public advisory issued by the Central Pacific Hurricane center on this system.

(Updated @ 11 a.m. HST Tuesday August 11, 2009 by Wendy Osher, Information provided by FORECASTER KNABB with the NWS, Central Pacific Hurricane Center)