Jimena remained a Category 4 hurricane Monday evening as it continued to track across the Eastern Pacific toward the Hawaiian Islands.
The storm peaked Thursday morning with 145 mph winds before starting to weaken during the afternoon. As of 5 p.m. Monday, Jimena, located 1,140 miles east of the Big Island, was packing 130 mph winds and tracking west-northwest at 15 mph. Hurricane-force winds extended outward from the center up to 60 miles.
Continued weakening is expected despite the storm moving over 82.4-degree waters and encountering very little vertical wind shear through Tuesday, National Hurricane Center forecasters said. Thereafter, Jimena is forecast to make a turn toward the northwest before encountering westerly shear and cooler ocean temperatures that should weaken the hurricane to a Category 1 st0rm by Thursday evening when it’s about 950 miles east of Hilo.
By Saturday evening, current forecast models have Jimena on a more northerly path about 900 miles northeast of the island.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Ignacio remained on track to pass north of the Big Island Tuesday. As of 5 p.m. Monday, Ignacio was located 250 miles northeast of Hilo, packing 100 mph winds and moving toward the northwest at 10 mph. The storm is forecast to continue weakening as it passes about 200 to 300 miles north of the Hawaiian Islands during the next couple of days. Breezy to gusty wind conditions can be expected as Ignacio’s center passes, as well as heavy rainfall and isolated thunderstorms.
Although Ignacio is moving away from the state, high surf is impacting east-facing shores statewide. A high surf warning remains in effect for east-facing shores of the Big Island’s northern, eastern and southern coasts until 6 a.m. Wednesday. The National Weather Service forecast wave heights to peak Tuesday at 10 to 15 feet.
Also Monday, Tropical Depression 14-E formed in the Eastern Pacific about 750 miles south-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. Slow strengthening is forecast and the depression could become Tropical Storm Kevin on Tuesday. It’s forecast to peak as a tropical storm packing 50 mph winds before beginning to weaken Wednesday.
Elsewhere, no tropical cyclones are expected through Wednesday afternoon, forecasters said.
Forecasters, at the start of the season, called for an above-normal season with five to eight tropical cyclones — a category that includes tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes — expected to impact the basin this year. On average, the basin annually sees four to five tropical cyclones in its waters.
So far this season, eight tropical cyclones have either formed or passed through the basin (including Hurricane Ignacio). Several of those storms formed in the Eastern Pacific basin before crossing into the Central North Pacific basin.
Last year, forecasters also called for an above-normal season with four to seven tropical cyclones forecast to pass through the Central Pacific. During the season, Wali, Genevieve, Iselle, Julio and Ana traversed its boundaries.
In the Eastern Pacific basin, which extends east of 140 longitude west to North America, forecasters called for 15 to 22 named storms.
The Central North and Eastern Pacific hurricane seasons run through Nov. 30.
Get more hurricane-related content, including preparation tips, evacuation info and daily tropical weather updates, on our hurricane season page, sponsored by Clark Realty, at www.westhawaiitoday.com/hurricane-season-2015.