Hurricane Olivia to Enter Central Pacific Today

The National Weather Service National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, reported at 5 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018, that Category 1 Hurricane Olivia has turned west toward the Central Pacific (140° W).

The center of Hurricane Olivia is now located near latitude 21.4 north, longitude 138.0 west, 1,110 miles east of Hilo.

Olivia is moving toward the west near 15 mph. This general motion is forecast to continue for the next couple of days, with a WSW turn anticipated by Tuesday.

On this forecast track, Olivia will move into the Central Pacific basin in the next 12 hours and could approach the Hawaiian Islands on Tuesday.

After the weekend, westerly shear should increase, which will likely cause weakening while Olivia approaches the islands.

Maximum sustained winds are now near 85 mph, with higher gusts. Olivia is forecast to remain a hurricane for the next couple of days.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 115 miles.

But satellite images indicate that Olivia continues to slowly weaken. Some breaks in the eyewall have been noted.

However, forecasters warn us not to be surprised if the system’s intensity fluctuates upward at times, as many eastern Pacific cyclones have done so far this season.

Olivia is forecast to approach the main Hawaiian Islands from the east early next week, but it is too soon to determine the exact location and magnitude of any impacts.

The NHC advises us to not focus on the exact track or intensity forecast or any specific landfall location. Tropical storm or hurricane conditions could be felt anywhere in the islands as significant impacts could extend well away from the center.

Hawai‘i should monitor the progress of Olivia this weekend and use this time to enact your hurricane action plan.