Ignacio Getting Stronger in the Eastern Pacific; May Threaten Hawaii

August 25,2015

Highlights:

• Tropical Storm Ignacio was named in the Eastern Pacific Tuesday afternoon.
• Ignacio is currently located about 1,525 miles east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii.
• The storm is forecast to gradually strengthen, likely reaching hurricane status later this week as it moves in a west to west-northwest direction.
• Ignacio is not a threat to land over the next few days, but if it remains organized, it come close to Hawaii early next week. 
• Interests in the Hawaiian Islands should monitor the progress of this latest named storm.

Latest Storm Information

Ignacio was quickly organizing Tuesday evening as it moves into a favorable environment for intensification. The National Hurricane Center forecast eventually strengthens Ignacio to a hurricane.
The airmass that the storm is moving through has decreasing wind shear, or the change in wind speed with height. When wind shear is too significant, it can effectively rip apart the structure of a tropical cyclone. With limited wind shear in the storm's path, Ignacio should continue to get better organized over the next 24 to 48 hours.

Another Hawaii Threat?

Although the official track takes Ignacio in the general direction of Hawaii by late this weekend, this is still several days out and a lot can change.
Several tropical systems have threatened Hawaii over the past few weeks, but most of them have changed course and/or weakened before directly impacting the islands. Predicting such systems in the vicinity of Hawaii proves quite challenging, so an array of scenarios still exist.
Nonetheless, interests in Hawaii should continue to monitor Ignacio, especially if the storm does intensify to a hurricane later this week. The stronger Ignacio gets in the short-term will mean the longer it may taken to weaken as it potentially approaches the islands.

Projected Path

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