Tropical Depression Eight E continued its westward track Tuesday, on a course to potentially bring some of its effects into the neighborhood of the Big Island by the weekend. The system is expected to be a dissipating remnant low by the time it arrives.
The course has shifted slightly, bringing the forecast track just south of Hawai Island, but there is uncertainty associated with distant forecasts. However, the island may still feel effects even if the system does not hit directly.
The broad low pressure system located about 1,700 miles east of Hilo had 35 mph winds and continued to produce a large area of showers and cloudiness Tuesday. Forecasters with the National Weather Service said the system was battling about 20 mph of north-northwesterly shear set to diminish Tuesday night. However, the system was also expected to encounter drier air and cooler sea surface temperatures, with winds holding at 35 mph for next couple of days as the depression heads westward at 15 mph.
Another low pressure system, located about 1,200 miles south-southwest of the tip of the Baja California peninsula, is becoming better defined and has a 90 percent chance of developing into a tropical depression over the next few days as it moves westerly at about 15 mph.