Unala Moves West of International Date Line

Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook, 1:49 a.m. HST, Aug. 19, 2013. Image courtesy NOAA/NWS/CPHC.

By Wendy Osher

The National Weather Service is tracking several systems in and around the Central Pacific.

Forecasters with the Central Pacific Hurricane Center say Tropical Storm Unala has since moved west of the international date line, and is now located over the northwest Pacific ocean about 850 miles east southeast of Wake Island, outside of its area of jurisdiction.

A separate disturbance, carrying showers and thunderstorms is located about 970 miles west southwest of Līhuʻe, Kauaʻi, and was moving west northwest at about 10 mph, according to the CPHC.  Forecasters say slow development could occur over the next day or two.

A third system located about 750 miles southeast of Hilo, Hawaiʻi is also carrying showers and thunderstorms, as it moves to the west northwest at 10 to 15 mph, according to CPHC reports.

Forecasters say the system increased in coverage and intensity during the past several hours, but “upper level winds are expected to inhibit significant development within this area today.”

According to the CPHC, the system has a low 20% chance of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.

***Supporting information courtesy National Weather Service, Central Pacific Hurricane Center.