HONOLULU (US), July 29 (AP) — Two tropical cyclones are currently moving across the ocean southeast of Hawaii, having developed on Monday. However, experts suggest that these systems are unlikely to pose any problems for the islands.
Hurricane Iona, the inaugural named storm of this year's hurricane season in the central Pacific, intensified from a tropical depression into a Category 1 hurricane in about a day, starting on Sunday. It is currently moving westward over warm, open waters.
“There's a high level of confidence that it won't directly impact the islands,” stated Derek Wroe of the National Weather Service in Honolulu. The hurricane is located significantly south of Hawaii, and its indirect effects are expected to be limited to strong winds, resulting in dry and breezy conditions.
“Hurricanes typically generate a lot of upward motion, often resulting in compensating downward motion elsewhere,” Wroe explained. “That's likely to occur here too, making conditions dry and breezy.”
These conditions were also observed when Hurricane Dora moved south of the islands in August 2023. The winds associated with Dora heightened conditions that contributed to the deadliest US wildfire in over a century, which devastated Lahaina and claimed 102 lives.
Wroe indicated concerns that Hurricane Iona's conditions might nearly meet red flag criteria. However, he added that the situation is less severe than during Hurricane Dora, stating, “It's not as strong as what we experienced back then.”
The pressure difference during Hurricane Dora led to gusts up to 80 km/h in central Maui and over 96 km/h on the Big Island. There were no wind measurements in West Maui at that time.
“We don't expect anything near those levels,” he assured, while predicting localized gusts over 64 km/h, with general winds blowing at 32 km/h.
As of Monday, Hurricane Iona was positioned about 1,303 kilometers southeast of Honolulu, according to the US National Hurricane Center in Miami. No coastal watches or warnings have been issued. Iona is anticipated to intensify into a major hurricane by Tuesday, but it is expected to weaken by mid-week.
The hurricane's maximum sustained winds are currently about 137 km/h, traveling west at around 21 km/h.
Another weather system has also formed in the region. Tropical Storm Keli comes with maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h. Positioned approximately 1,658 kilometers southeast of Honolulu, it is moving westward at 19 km/h and might strengthen over the next day. Like Iona, it is projected to weaken by mid-week
Wroe expressed that no direct impacts from this storm are expected on Hawaii.
On Monday, Hawaii's Emergency Management Agency convened a statewide conference call with all counties. During the call, the National Weather Service provided an assessment and the status of the storms.Agency spokesperson Kiele Amundson confirmed that “All counties are monitoring the situation,” in an email.
Another indirect effect from these storms might be swells. Nonetheless, Wroe noted that these are relatively minor, moving westward, and unlikely to cause significant issues.
A larger swell, generated several hundred miles east of New Zealand, is heading toward Hawaii. It is expected to arrive on Thursday, coinciding with the storms’ passage by the state. “Some might mistakenly believe the swell originates from these tropical systems, but that's not the case,” Wroe commented.
A high surf advisory is anticipated for the south shores of the Hawaiian Islands, with the surf expected to reach 10 feet or higher.(AP) SKS SCY SCY
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