A cluster of thunderstorms between Hawaii and Mexico developed enough organization on Friday night that the National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Storm Madeline.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Madeline was located at latitude 13.9°N and longitude 137.4°W which put it about 1235 miles (1990 km) east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii.  Madeline was moving toward the west-northwest at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1006 mb.

The circulation of Tropical Storm Madeline is still organizing.  A primary spiral band wraps around the western side of the circulation.  There are additional spiral bands of the thunderstorms in the southern part of the tropical storm.  The thunderstorms in the primary rainband are generating upper level divergence which it pumping mass out primarily to the west of tropical storm Madeline.

Tropical Storm Madeline is moving through an environment that is favorable for intensification.  It is moving over water where the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) is near 29°C.  The upper level winds are light and there is not much vertical wind shear.  Tropical Storm Madeline is expected to intensify steadily and it could become a hurricane by the end of the weekend.  In a few days Madeline will move over cooler SSTs and into an area where the is more vertical wind shear.  When that happens, Madeline will start to weaken.

A subtropical high is steering Tropical Storm Madeline toward the west-northwest and a general west-northwest or westerly motion is expected to continue during the next few days.  On its anticipated track Madeline could approach the Hawaiian Islands in about five days.