A center of circulation has formed within a broad east-west trough of low pressure about a thousand miles east-southeast of Hawaii.  The Central Pacific Hurricane Center has classified the system as Tropical Depression Two-C and has begun issuing advisories on it.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT the center of Tropical Depression Two-C (TD2C) was located at latitude 12.8°N and longitude 143.2°W which put it about 915 miles east-southeast of Hilo and about 1135 miles east-southeast of Honolulu, Hawaii.   TD2C was moving toward the west-northwest at 11 m.p.h.  The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. and the minimum surface pressure was 1007 mb.

A ridge of high pressure north of TD2C is likely to continue to steer it in a general west-northwesterly direction for the next few days.  An upper level trough may approach the system from the west late in the week and turn the tropical cyclone more toward the northwest.   TD2C could approach Hawaii by the end of the week or early this weekend.

TD2C is over Sea Surface Temperatures (SSTs) that are warmer than 28°C.  The circulation is becoming more well organized and the upper level winds are not very strong.  TD2C is likely to intensify and if it becomes a tropical storm it will get the name Ana.  The SSTs closer to Hawaii are a little cooler, but they are still warm enough to support a tropical cyclone.  Thus, TD2C could intensify into a hurricane as it moves in the general direction of Hawaii.