Tropical Storm Pena formed southeast of Hawaii on Friday afternoon.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Pena was located at latitude 11.3°N and longitude 150.1°W which put the center about 650 miles (1045 km) southeast of South Point, Hawaii.  Pena was moving toward the west at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1002 mb.

A low pressure system over the Central North Pacific Ocean southeast of Hawaii strengthened on Friday afternoon and the U.S. National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Storm Pena.

The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the eastern side of the center of Tropical Storm Pena.  Other bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Pena’s circulation.  Storms near the center of Pena generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm.  The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease.

The strongest winds were occurring in the northeastern part of Tropical Storm Pena.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 45 miles (75 km) in the northeastern quadrant of Tropical Storm Pena.  The winds in the other parts of Tropical Storm Pena were blowing at less than tropical storm force.

Tropical Storm Pena will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Pena will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Tropical Storm Pena is very likely to intensify during the next 24 hours.  Pena could move into a region where there is more vertical wind shear on Sunday.

Tropical Storm Pena will move around the southern side of a high pressure system that is over the Central North Pacific Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer Pena toward the west during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Pena will pass south of Hawaii.