Former Hurricane Gil weakened back to a tropical storm on Saturday over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean east of Hawaii.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Storm Gil was located at latitude 19.5°N and longitude 132.0°W which put the center about 1500 miles (2415 km) east of Hilo, Hawaii.  Gil was moving toward the west-northwest at 21 m.p.h. (33 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 997 mb.

Former Hurricane Gil weakened back to a tropical storm on Saturday when it moved over cooler water.  Many of the thunderstorms in the western side of Gil’s circulation weakened when it moved over cooler water.  Thunderstorms were still occurring in bands in the eastern side of Tropical Storm Gil.  The thunderstorms in the eastern side of Gil’s circulation still generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm.  The removal of mass meant that Tropical Storm Gil weakened slowly.

The distribution of wind speeds in Tropical Storm Gil was relatively symmetrical.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 140 miles (225 km) from the center of Gil’s circulation.

Tropical Storm Gil will move through an environment mostly unfavorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Gil will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 24°C.  It will move through a region where there will be little vertical wind shear.  Even though Tropical Storm Gil will move through a region where there will be little vertical wind shear, Gil is likely to continue to weaken because of the cooler water.

Tropical Storm Gil will move around the southern side of a high pressure system over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer Gil toward the west-northwest during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Gil will move toward Hawaii as it weakens.