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.



