Tropical Storm Fausto was weakening as it passed northeast of Hawaii on Tuesday. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Tropical Storm Fausto was located at latitude 22.5°N and longitude 152.2°W which put the center about 270 miles (435 km) northeast of Hilo, Hawaii. Fausto was moving toward the west-northwest at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1005 mb.
Tropical Storm Fausto was weakening as it passed northeast of Hawaii on Tuesday afternoon. An upper level trough that was located north of Hawaii was producing strong southwesterly winds that were blowing across the top of Fausto’s circulation. Those winds were causing strong vertical wind shear. The strong upper level winds were also blowing the tops off of many of the thunderstorms in Tropical Storm Fausto.
Thunderstorms were still occurring in bands in the eastern edge of Tropical Storm Fausto. Bands in the other parts of Fausto’s circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. There were no thunderstorms near the center of Fausto to generate upper level divergence to pump mass away from the tropical storm. Convergence of mass in the lower levels of the atmosphere was causing the surface pressure to increase.
The strongest winds were blowing on the northern side of Tropical Storm Fausto. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 140 miles (220 km) in the northern side of Fausto’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force only extended out 70 miles (110 km) in the southern side of Tropical Storm Fausto.
Tropical Storm Fausto will move through an environment that will be unfavorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Fausto will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 26°C. However, the upper level trough north of Hawaii will continue to cause strong vertical wind shear. Tropical Storm Fausto will continue to weaken steadily during the next 24 hours. Fausto is likely to weaken to a tropical depression on Wednesday.
Tropical Storm Fausto 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 Fausto toward the west-northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Fausto will continue to pass north of Hawaii on Wednesday.
Elsewhere, Hurricane Genevieve was weakening gradually as it move southwest of Baja California. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Hurricane Genevieve was located at latitude 18.0°N and longitude 116.9°W which put the center about 565 miles (910 km) southwest of southern tip of Baja California. Genevieve was moving toward the west-northwest at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 120 m.p.h. (195 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 140 m.p.h. (220 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 955 mb.
