Olivia to Cross into Central Pacific Basin Late Saturday
Update: 11 a.m. HST 9.7.18
Hurricane Norman dropped to Tropical Storm status and continues to move away from the islands; but Category 2 Olivia continues on a path toward the state, with potential impacts to island weather next week.
Both systems weakened in the latest 11 a.m. update, with continued weakening in the forecast.
The long-range forecast has Olivia crossing into the Central Pacific basin by late Saturday and nearing the islands on Tuesday or Wednesday as a Tropical Storm.
The hurricane is undergoing slow weakening with maximum sustained winds now at 110 mph.
Forecasts continue to be refined as new data is evaluated, and it remains too early to determine specific impacts on island weather at this time.
Olivia was last located about 1375 miles East of Hilo, Hawaiʻi and was moving toward the WNW near 16 mph. The National Hurricane Center reports that hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 115 miles.
According to the NHC, “Satellite data indicate that Olivia is an annular hurricane with a well organized inner core, but with a lack of outer banding features.”
The National Weather Service issued an area synopsis this morning saying, “Trades are forecast to trend down through the day today, with light and variable winds expected tonight through Monday as Hurricane Norman passes northeast of the state. Clouds and showers will favor windward and mauka areas today, then shift over the interior and leeward locations each afternoon beginning Saturday. Hurricane Olivia is forecast to approach the islands from the east early next week, then move through the region from east to west Tuesday night through midweek.”