Tropical Storm Iona forms in the central Pacific, no threat to Hawaii
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Iona emerged Sunday from a tropical depression about 960 miles (1,545 kilometers) southeast of Honolulu. The storm is expected to strengthen further in coming days but currently poses no threat to Hawaii. No coastal watches or warnings are in effect.
The system gained tropical storm status with maximum sustained winds of about 40 mph (64 kph). It was moving in a generally westward direction at about 10 mph (16 kph).
Iona is the first named storm of the hurricane season in the central Pacific.
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Chicago Tribune
2 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Tropical Storm Keli forms and is second cyclone now in central Pacific Ocean
HONOLULU — Two tropical cyclones were swirling across the ocean southeast of Hawaii after developing on Monday but were not expected to cause any issues for the islands. Hurricane Iona is the first named storm of the hurricane season in the central Pacific and emerged Sunday from a tropical depression to become a Category 1 hurricane in roughly a day. It was trekking west over warm, open waters. 'It's pretty high confidence that it's not going to have any direct impacts on the islands,' said Derek Wroe with the National Weather Service in Honolulu. The hurricane is centered well south of Hawaii and an indirect impact will be downward pressure winds from the hurricane, creating dry and breezy conditions. 'There's a lot of upward motion in the hurricane and then there's usually compensating downward motion,' Wroe said. 'That should be the case here as well. So it will be dry, it will be breezy.' Those were the conditions that were prevalent when Hurricane Dora also passed well south of the islands in August 2023, and the associated winds led to the conditions that exacerbated the deadliest fire in the U.S. in over a century. The blaze raced through the historic town of Lahaina and resulted in the deaths of 102 people. He said there are concerns that conditions with Hurricane Iona could be at or near red flag criteria. 'That said … wouldn't be anything close to what we saw during that time with Hurricane Dora. The situation is just not that strong,' he said. The pressure gradient created by Hurricane Dora created gusts that clocked in at 50 mph (80 kph) in central Maui and well over 60 mph (96 kph) on the Big Island. There were no instruments in West Maui two years ago to measure wind. 'We don't expect anything even close to that,' he said, with possible localized gusts of over 40 mph (64 kph) with winds running around 20 mph (32 kph). On Monday, Iona was about 870 miles (1,400 kilometers) southeast of Honolulu, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said. No coastal watches or warnings were in effect. Iona is expected to strengthen more over the next couple of days before weakening around the middle of the week. The hurricane has maximum sustained winds of about 75 mph (120 kph). It was moving in a generally westward direction at about 10 mph (17 kph). A second weather system also formed. Tropical Storm Keli had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph). It was about 1,090 miles (1,755 kilometers) southeast of Honolulu and was moving west at about 10 mph. It may strengthen over the next day but, like Iona, should lose power around the middle of the week. Wroe said he didn't expect any direct impact from this storm on Hawaii either. The administrator of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency on Monday hosted a statewide conference call with all counties, during which the National Weather Service provided an assessment and status of the storms. 'All counties are monitoring,' agency spokesperson Kiele Amundson said in an email. Another indirect impact from these storms could be swells, but Wroe said they are relatively small and moving westward and won't create anything significant. However, a large swell is headed toward Hawaii after being generated several hundred miles east of New Zealand. It's expected to arrive in Hawaii about Thursday, about the same time the storms pass the state. 'People might wrongly attribute the swell energy to be from these tropical systems, but they're actually not,' he said. He anticipates high surf advisory to be issued for the south shores of the Hawaiian Islands, with a surf of 10 feet (3 meters) or higher.
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Three Tropical Storms May Form at the Same Time
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Two more tropical storms could form at the same time this week as National Hurricane Center (NHC) experts track another tropical storm and a hurricane in the Pacific Ocean. Why It Matters Hurricane Iona formed on Monday after undergoing rapid intensification. Shortly after Iona formed, Tropical Storm Keli also took shape. Both storms are considered part of the Central Pacific season. Meanwhile, two more named storms could join them in the coming days as NHC meteorologists monitor two disturbances in the Eastern Pacific. What To Know As of the most recent update from the NHC, Iona is a Category 1 hurricane with windspeeds of 75 miles per hour. The storm is located in the central Pacific basin well southeast of Hawaii. Tropical Storm Keli, which is east of Iona, has maximum sustained windspeeds of 40 mph. Neither storm is likely to cause hazards to nearby land, the updates said. Meanwhile, in the Eastern Pacific, the NHC is monitoring two other potential systems. One disturbance is located in the western East Pacific, further east than the two storms in the Central Pacific. It is about 1,600 miles east-southeast of the Hawaiian Islands, the NHC forecast said. There's a 60 percent chance the system will strengthen into a tropical storm within the next 48 hours. "Environmental conditions appear conducive for gradual development, and a tropical depression could form during the next day or two," the NHC said. "The system is forecast to move generally westward around 10 mph and enter the Central Pacific basin around midweek." AccuWeather meteorologists anticipate the storm could form between July 28 and 29. However, it might face some challenges. AccuWeather senior meteorologist Scott Homan told Newsweek that in the wake of the other two storms, this disturbance will likely have a lower chance at strengthening. "The chances of all three of them becoming a tropical storm or a hurricane at the same time is close, but I do feel like the third is going to have a heck of a time trying to develop," he said. Then, the NHC also is tracking "a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms located a few hundred miles south of the southern coast of Mexico." This disturbance also has a 60 percent chance of development within the next 48 hours, and a 90 percent chance of developing within the next seven days. AccuWeather meteorologists anticipate the storm could form between July 29 and 31. Although this system is not yet tracked by the NHC, AccuWeather meteorologists are monitoring another area of potential development south of Mexico that could form between August 2 and 5. A map from the NHC shows where three tropical storms and one hurricane could form at the same time. A map from the NHC shows where three tropical storms and one hurricane could form at the same time. National Hurricane Center What People Are Saying NHC in a public advisory about Hurricane Iona: "Strengthening is forecast during the day or two. Gradual weakening is expected to begin around midweek." NHC in a public advisory about Tropical Storm Keli: "Some strengthening is possible during the next day or so, however, weakening should begin around the middle of the week." What Happens Next? NHC meteorologists currently aren't forecasting Iona to become a major hurricane. The NHC also doesn't anticipate that Keli will strengthen into a hurricane. Regarding the other two storms, it remains to be seen when they could become named storms, and if they will form before the other two storms have a chance to weaken.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tropical Storm Keli forms and is second cyclone now in central Pacific Ocean
HONOLULU (AP) — A second tropical cyclone has formed in the central Pacific Ocean alongside a Category 1 hurricane. The National Hurricane Center says Tropical Storm Keli has maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph) on Monday. The storm is centered east of Hurricane Iona which formed Monday. Iona is a Category 1 hurricane. Keli is centered 1,090 miles (1,755 kilometers) southeast of Honolulu. No direct impacts from Keli are expected to affect Hawaii. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows below. HONOLULU (AP) — A hurricane that developed rapidly Monday in the central Pacific Ocean was not expected to cause any issues for Hawaii, a federal meteorologist said, as Hurricane Iona trekked west over warm, open waters. 'It's pretty high confidence that it's not going to have any direct impacts on the islands,' said Derek Wroe with the National Weather Service in Honolulu. Iona is the first named storm of the hurricane season in the central Pacific and emerged Sunday from a tropical depression to become a Category 1 hurricane in roughly a day. The hurricane is centered well south of Hawaii, however, an indirect impact will be downward pressure winds from the hurricane, creating dry and breezy conditions. 'There's a lot of upward motion in the hurricane and then there's usually compensating downward motion,' Wroe said. 'That should be the case here as well. So it will be dry, it will be breezy.' Those were the conditions that were prevalent when Hurricane Dora also passed well south of the islands in August 2023, and the associated winds led to the conditions that exacerbated the deadliest fire in the U.S. in over a century. The blaze raced through the historic town of Lahaina and resulted in the deaths of 102 people. He said there are concerns that conditions with Hurricane Iona could be at or near red flag criteria. 'That said … wouldn't be anything close to what we saw during that time with Hurricane Dora. The situation is just not that strong,' he said. The pressure gradient created by Hurricane Dora created gusts that clocked in at 50 mph (80 kph) in central Maui and well over 60 mph (96 kph) on the Big Island. There were no instruments in West Maui two years ago to measure wind. 'We don't expect anything even close to that,' he said, with possible localized gusts of over 40 mph (64 kph) with winds running around 20 mph (32 kph). On Monday, Iona was about 895 miles (1,440 kilometers) southeast of Honolulu, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said. No coastal watches or warnings were in effect. Iona is expected to strengthen more over the next couple of days before weakening around the middle of the week. The hurricane has maximum sustained winds of about 75 mph (120 kph). It was moving in a generally westward direction at about 10 mph (17 kph). A second weather system has also formed in the central Pacific. Tropical Depression Two-C is located about 1,140 miles (1,840 kilometers) east-southeast of Honolulu. Maximum sustained winds are around 35 mph (55 kph) and expected to strengthen. Wroe said he didn't expect any direct impact from this storm on Hawaii either. The administrator of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency on Monday hosted a statewide conference call with all counties, during which the National Weather Service provided an assessment and status of the storms. 'All counties are monitoring,' agency spokesperson Kiele Amundson said in an email. Another indirect impact from these storms could be swells, but Wroe said they are relatively small and moving westward and won't create anything significant. However, a large swell is headed toward Hawaii after being generated several hundred miles east of New Zealand. It's expected to arrive in Hawaii about Thursday, about the same time the storms pass the state. 'People might wrongly attribute the swell energy to be from these tropical systems, but they're actually not,' he said. He anticipates high surf advisory to be issued for the south shores of the Hawaiian Islands, with a surf of 10 feet (3 meters) or higher. The Associated Press
