UPDATES: Erick Downgraded to Cat 2, Will Bring Dangerous Surf, Heavy Rainfall to Big Island

UPDATES: Wednesday, July 31, 2019

8 PM

The Central Pacific Hurricane Center is issuing advisories on Hurricane Erick, centered about 450 miles southeast of Hilo.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, is issuing advisories on Tropical Storm Flossie, centered about 1,750 miles east-southeast of Hilo. Flossie is expected to move into the Central Pacific Hurricane Center area of responsibility late Friday or Friday night.

5 PM

ERICK CONTINUES WEAKENING SOUTHEAST OF THE BIG ISLAND

At 5:00 p.m. HST, the center of Hurricane Erick was located near latitude 15.1°N, longitude 149.6°W, approximately 480 SE of Hilo. Erick is moving toward the west near 14 mph and this motion is expected to continue for the next 48 hours.

Maximum sustained winds are near 105 mph with higher gusts. Erick is a category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Erick is forecast to slowly weaken during the next 48 hours.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 28.56 inches.

Tropical Storm Flossie was approximately 1,775 miles east of Hilo at 5 p.m. Wednesday. Flossie is getting weaker but could restrengthen with time.

2 PM

The Central Pacific Hurricane Center is issuing advisories on Hurricane Erick, centered about 510 miles southeast of Hilo as of 2 p.m. Wednesday.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, is issuing advisories on recently downgraded Tropical Storm Flossie, centered about 1,830 miles east-southeast of Hilo. Flossie is expected to move into the Central Pacific Hurricane Center area of responsibility late Friday or Friday night.

11 AM

ERICK SLOWLY WEAKENING SOUTHEAST OF THE BIG ISLAND

At 11 a.m. HST, the center of Hurricane Erick was located near latitude 14.8°N, longitude 148.8°W, approximately 535 miles SE of Hilo. Erick is moving toward the west-northwest near 14 mph and this motion is expected to continue for the next 48 hours.

Maximum sustained winds are near 115 mph (185 km/h) with higher gusts. Erick is a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Erick is forecast to slowly weaken during the next 48 hours.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 28.35 inches.

8 AM

Hurricane Erick is centered about 590 miles SE of Hilo.

Hurricane Flossie is centered about 1,940 miles ESE of Hilo.

5 AM

ERICK CONTINUES TO SLOWLY WEAKEN

At 5 a.m. HST, the center of Hurricane Erick was located near latitude 14.5ºN, longitude 147.5º W, 615 miles SE of Hilo.

Erick is moving toward the west near 13 mph and this motion is expected to continue for the next 48 hours.

Maximum sustained winds are near 120 mph, with higher gusts. Erick is a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 28.29 inches.

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

SURF: Swells generated by Erick will arrive in the Hawaiian Islands over the next couple of days, potentially producing dangerous surf conditions, mainly along E-facing shores.

RAINFALL: Moisture associated with Erick will spread over the Hawaiian Islands by Thursday afternoon and produce heavy rainfall. Rainfall is expected to be heaviest over the E and SE slopes of the Big Island. A Flash Flood Watch has been issued beginning Thursday afternoon.

Hurricane Flossie Advisory Number 13

FLOSSIE FORECAST TO BECOME A TROPICAL STORM LATER TODAY

At 5 a.m. HST, the NWS National Hurricane Center Miami reported that the center of Hurricane Flossie was located near latitude 14.0°N, longitude 125.8°W, about 1975 E of Hilo.

Flossie is moving toward the WNW near 15 mph. A WNW to W motion at a similar forward speed is anticipated for the next several days.

Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 75 mph with higher gusts. Flossie is expected to weaken to tropical-storm strength later today.

Restrengthening is possible later this week and Flossie is forecast to become a hurricane again in a few days.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles.