Tropical Depression Fausto Wednesday update: Storm now forecast to become post-tropical remnant low by late this morning
However, while Fausto is now rapidly weakening because of reaching a wall of extremely dry air and westerly vertical wind shear, the high surf conditions it's creating along eastern shores of the state warrant continued monitoring.
7 hours ago
Fausto is now a tropical depression, weakening from a tropical storm earlier than the July 29 timeline forecasters originally set, and the storm will continue weakening as it passes north of the Hawaiian Islands through Wednesday night.
It is possible Fausto even could dissipate sooner than forecast; in fact, the National Hurricane Center forecast as of 11 p.m. July 28 show the system becoming a post-tropical remnant low by later this morning.
Surf generated by Fausto, however, continues to build westward along east-facing shores of the island chain and is forecast to remain at dangerous levels Wednesday as the storm passes by the state.
A high surf warning remains in effect until at least 6 p.m. Wednesday for all eastern shores of the islands, with waves of 12 to 16 feet forecast.
National Weather Service forecasters in Honolulu advise the public to expect ocean water surging and sweeping across beaches, coastal benches and lava flows along the warned coastlines, creating the potential for impacts to coastal properties and infrastructure, including roadways.
Powerful longshore and rip currents also will be present at most beaches.
Those large breaking waves and strong currents could impact harbor entrances and channels, causing challenging boat handling.
People should stay away from the shoreline along the affected coasts, be prepared for road closures and postpone entering or leaving impacted channels until the surf subsides.
Fausto was located about 250 miles north of Hilo by the 11 p.m. storm update from the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu. Its winds were down to a sustained 35 mph and the storm continued a west-northwest track at 12 mph.
While the system is expected to dissipate sooner than later, because of high surf conditions persisting, forecasters advise all interests and stakeholders in Hawai’i to monitor what’s left of Fausto until it moves away from the islands.
Fausto reached a wall of westerly vertical wind shear as it traverses through mid-level relative humidity values hovering near only 30%.
“In these conditions, it will be quite difficult for Fausto to redevelop enough convection to stay alive as a tropical cyclone,” said the 11 p.m. advisory discussion on the National Hurricane Center and Central Pacific Hurricane Center website.
Global forecast models suggest the remnant low Fausto becomes will then open up into a trough about 36 hours later, with dissipation just after that time.
