Hurricane Henriette moved north of Hawaii on Monday. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Hurricane Henriette was located at latitude 29.8°N and longitude 157.8°W which put the center about 585 miles (945 km) north of Honolulu, Hawaii. Henriette was moving toward the northwest at 18 m.p.h. (30 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 986 mb.
Hurricane Henriette strengthened slightly as it moved north of Hawaii on Monday. A small clear area appeared intermittently at the center of Henriette’s circulation. The clear area could be evidence that an eye may form at the center of Hurricane Henriette. The clear area was surrounded by a 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 Henriette’s circulation. Storms near the center of Henriette generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane.
The circulation around Hurricane Henriette was small. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 20 miles (30 km) from the center of Henriette’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 70 miles (110 km) from the center of Hurricane Henriette.
Hurricane Henriette will move through an environment mostly favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Henriette will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 26°C. It will move under the eastern side of an upper level low that is northwest of Hawaii. Henriette will move north of a smaller upper level low that is north of Hawaii. The upper level winds are weak in the zone between the two upper level lows and there will be little vertical wind shear. Hurricane Henriette could intensify during the next 24 hours. The upper level winds will get stronger when Henriette moves closer to the upper level low northwest of Hawaii later on Tuesday. Henriette could start to weaken by Tuesday night.
Hurricane Henriette will move around the southwestern part of a high pressure system over the central North Pacific Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Henriette toward the northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Henriette will move farther away from Hawaii.
