Highlights:
- Ignacio was upgraded to a hurricane Wednesday night and is located about 1,275 miles east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii.
- The storm is forecast to continue strengthening as it moves in a 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 as early as Monday.
- Interests in the Hawaiian Islands should monitor the progress of this latest hurricane.
Latest Storm Information
Ignacio continues to gather strength in a favorable environment for intensification about half way between Los Cabos, Mexico and Hilo, Hawaii.
(MAP: Follow Tropical Storm Ignacio with our new Interactive Storm Tracker)
The airmass that the storm is moving through has relatively low 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 few days as it moves west-northwest.
Another Hawaii Threat?
Although the official track takes Ignacio in the direction of Hawaii by early next week, this is still several days out and a lot can change. With that said, the forecast position from the National Hurricane Center for Monday now has Ignacio approaching the Big Island.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.
Climatologically speaking, virtually all hurricanes near the Hawaiian Islands since 1950 have approached from the southeast, south or southwest.
(MORE: Hawaii's Hurricane History)
Nonetheless, interests in Hawaii should continue to monitor Ignacio into early next week.
Projected Path
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