Former Tropical Storm Norbert weakened to a tropical depression as it moved over the Central North Pacific Ocean on Monday evening. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Depression Norbert was located at latitude 20.2°N and longitude 140.5°W which put the center about 950 miles (1525 km) east of Hilo, Hawaii. Norbert was moving toward the west-northwest at 15 m.p.h. (24 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1006 mb.
Former Tropical Storm Norbert weakened to a tropical depression on Monday evening. Drier air caused many of the thunderstorms in Tropical Depression Norbert to weaken on Monday. A few thunderstorms were still occurring in bands on the periphery of Norbert’s circulation. Many of the bands revolving around the center of Tropical Depression Norbert consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Since there were few thunderstorms near the center of Norbert, there was very little upper level divergence. Convergence of mass in the lower levels of the atmosphere caused the surface pressure to increase on Monday.
Tropical Depression Norbert will move through an environment that will be unfavorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Norbert will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 26°C. An upper level low that is northeast of Hawaii will continue to produce southwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Norbert’s circulation. Those winds will continue to cause moderate vertical wind shear. Norbert will also continue to move through a mass of drier air that is east of Hawaii. Tropical Depression Norbert is likely to continue to weaken on Tuesday because of the moderate vertical wind shear and the drier air.
Tropical Depression Norbert will move around the southern part of a high pressure system that is over the Central North Pacific Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Norbert toward the west during the next 24 hours, On its anticipated track, Tropical Depression Norbert will still be far to the east of Hawaii on Tuesday.
Elsewhere, Tropical Depression Fifteen-E continued to move farther away from Baja California.
At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Depression Fifteen-E was located at latitude 16.5°N and longitude 121.6°W which put the center about 880 miles (1415 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. The tropical depression was moving toward the west at 10 m.p.h. (16 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1005 mb.
