Hurricane Celia forms in East Pacific as Blas weakens
NASA / GOES WEST
Celia developed into a hurricane as Blas weakened to a remnant low today. Meanwhile, a new system may be developing east of Celia.
NASA / GOES WEST
Hurricane Celia, far right, packing 80-mph winds and higher gusts, today remained about six days away from the Hawaiian Islands, shown at upper left in this image from the GOES-15 geostationary satellite. The storm, 2,164 miles east of Hilo, was moving west at 14 mph but is expected to shift to a west-northwest course by Monday night, according to the National Hurricane Center. That should take it north of the state, but hurricanes can always change course. Celia will strengthen Monday but then slowly weaken beginning Tuesday, the center said.
Hurricane Celia formed in the East Pacific today, the second hurricane of the season, while former Hurricane Blas is no longer a tropical cyclone.
Blas weakened to a remnant low this afternoon, about 1,220 miles east of Hilo. What’s left of the former category 4 hurricane is now down to sustained winds of 35 mph. Those winds are expected to continue to weaken, but the moisture from Blas’ remnants may bring bring an increase in showers to the islands Thursday and Friday as the storm passes near Hawaii.
Remnants of former Tropical Storm Agatha may also being an increase in showers Tuesday, forecasters said.
Surf created when Blas was a hurricane last week is declining on east shores. But surf will pick up again later in the week from waves generated by Celia.
Late this afternoon, Celia was a category 1 storm with winds of 80 mph, about 1,040 miles west-southweat of Baja California.
Celia was moving west at 13 mph and is expected to remain at hurricane strength through Wednesday. It should cross into the Central Pacific Thursday as a tropical storm.
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Celia is too far away to predict how or if it will affect the weather in Hawaii, other than sending surf to east shores.
Meanwhile, National Hurricane Center forecasters are watching an area of thunderstorms behind Celia. The system has a 90 percent chance of developing into a tropical cyclone over the next five days.
