Tag Archives: Nolo

Hurricane Nolo Stalls South of Hawaii

Hurricane Nolo stalled south of Hawaii early on Saturday.  At 8:00 a.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Hurricane Nolo was located at latitude 16.9°N and longitude 155.3°W which put the center about 145 miles (235 km) south of South Point, Hawaii.  Nolo was stationary.   The maximum sustained wind speed was 105 m.p.h. (165 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 125 m.p.h. (200 km/h).   The minimum surface pressure was 975 mb.

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for Hawaii County.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Hawaii County.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Maui County including Maui, Lanai, Molokai, and Kahoolawe.

Hurricane Nolo was a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale on Tuesday morning.  A circular eye with a diameter of 23 miles (37 km) was at the center of Nolo’s circulation.  They eye was surrounded by a broken ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Hurricane Nolo.  Storms near the center of Nolo generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane.  The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease.

Winds to hurricane force extended out 45 miles (75 km) from the center of Hurricane Nolo. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 140 miles (225 km) from the center of Nolo’s circulation.

The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Hurricane Nolo is 17.8.  The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) is 16.1 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) is 33.9.

Hurricane Nolo will move through an environment that will be somewhat favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Nolo will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28°C.  It will move under the southeastern part of an upper level low that is northwest of Hawaii.  The upper level low will produce southerly winds that will blow toward the top of Nolo’s circulation.  Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear.  The vertical wind shear will inhibit intensification, but the wind shear may not be enough to prevent intensification.  Hurricane Nolo could intensify gradually during the next 24 hours.  Nolo could strengthen to a major hurricane during the weekend.

A high pressure system north of Hawaii is forecast to strengthen on Saturday.  When the high pressure system strengthens, it will start to steer Hurricane Nolo toward the west.  On its anticipated track, the center of Hurricane Nolo will remain south of Hawaii during the weekend.

The circulation around the northern side of Hurricane Nolo will produce easterly winds in parts of the Big Island of Hawaii and on Maui.  Heavy rain could fall where those winds blow up the slopes of hills and mountains.  Heavy could cause flash floods in some locations.

Flood Watches are in effect for the Big Island of Hawaii, Maui, Lanai, Molokai, and Kahoolawe.

Nolo Strengthens to a Hurricane

Former Tropical Storm Nolo strengthened to a hurricane as it moved over the Central North Pacific Ocean south of Hawaii on Thursday evening.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Hurricane Nolo was located at latitude 15.1°N and longitude 155.9°W which put the center about 270 miles (435 km) south of South Point, Hawaii.  Nolo was moving toward the north-northeast at 5 m.p.h. (8 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 984 mb.

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for Hawaii County.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Hawaii County.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Maui County including Maui, Lanai, Molokai, and Kahoolawe.

The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the eastern and southern sides of the center of Hurricane Nolo.  A large circular eye appeared to be forming at the center of Nolo’s circulation.  They eye was surrounded by a broken ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms.  Thunderstorms were also occurring in bands in the western side of Hurricane Nolo.  Bands in the eastern side of Nolo’s circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.  Storms near the center of Nolo generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane.  The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease.

Winds to hurricane force extended out 30 miles (50 km) from the center of Hurricane Nolo.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 105 miles (165 km) from the center of Nolo’s circulation.

Hurricane Nolo will move through an environment that will be somewhat favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Nolo will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28°C.  It will move under the southeastern part of an upper level trough that is northwest of Hawaii.  The upper level trough will produce southwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Nolo’s circulation.  Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear.  The vertical wind shear will inhibit intensification, but the wind shear will not be enough to prevent intensification.  Hurricane Nolo will intensify gradually during the next 24 hours.  Nolo could strengthen to a major hurricane during the weekend.

The upper level trough that is northwest of Hawaii will pull Hurricane Nolo slowly toward the north during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Hurricane Nolo will move closer to the Big Island of Hawaii.  A high pressure system north of Hawaii is forecast to strengthen on Saturday.  If the high pressure system strengthens, it will steer Nolo toward the west during the weekend.

The circulation around the northern side of Hurricane Nolo could drop heavy rain on parts of the Big Island of Hawaii and on Maui.

Flood Watches are in effect for the Big Island of Hawaii, Maui, Lanai, Molokai, and Kahoolawe.

Tropical Storm Nolo Forms South of Hawaii

Tropical Storm Nolo formed over the Central North Pacific Ocean south of Hawaii on Wednesday afternoon.  A Hurricane Watch was issued for the Big Island of Hawaii.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Tropical Storm Nolo was located at latitude 14.5°N and longitude 155.3°W which put the center about 310 miles (500 km) south of South Point, Hawaii.  Nolo was moving toward the west-northwest at 6 m.p.h. (10 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 1003 mb.

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for Hawaii County.

The circulation around former Tropical Depression Fifteen-E strengthened on Wednesday afternoon and the U.S. National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Storm Nolo.

The circulation around Tropical Storm Nolo was large.  Thunderstorms were occurring in bands that curled round the northern and western sides of the center of Nolo’s circulation.  Bands in the southern and eastern side of Tropical Storm Nolo consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.  Storms near the center of Nolo started to generate upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm.  The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to begin to decrease.

The strongest winds were occurring in the northern side of Tropical Storm Nolo.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 35 miles (55 km) in the northern half of Nolo’s circulation.  The winds in the southern side of Tropical Storm Nolo were blowing at less than tropical storm force.

Tropical Storm Nolo will move through an environment that will be somewhat favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Nolo will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28°C.  It will move under the southeastern part of an upper level trough that is northwest of Hawaii.  The upper level trough will produce southwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Nolo’s circulation.  Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear.  The vertical wind shear will inhibit intensification, but the wind shear probably will not be enough to prevent intensification.  Tropical Storm Nolo is likely to intensify gradually during the next 24 hours.

The upper level trough that is northwest of Hawaii will pull Tropical Storm Nolo slowly toward the north during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Nolo will move closer to the Big Island of Hawaii.