Hurricane Daniel: Season's First Tropical Storm

Hurricane Daniel is the first major storm of the season to cross into the Central Pacific and could hit the Big Island as early as Friday with tropical-storm force wind. At 5 a.m. today Daniel, a category 1 storm, was about 970 miles east-southeast of Hilo and about 1,170 miles east-southeast of Honolulu, according to Norman Hiu, National Weather Service forecaster. Hiu said Daniel had sustained wind of nearly 90 mph with higher gusts. “The current track has Daniel moving west-northwest at 14 miles per hour,” Hiu said. “Under the current projection it will be over the Big Island on Friday,” Hiu added. “But that track is subject to change.” The National Weather Service Central Pacific Hurricane Center bulletin said hurricane force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the center of Daniel and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 90 miles. Weather service officials said the storm is expected to start weakening over the next day. Tropical storm force winds range from 39 mph to 73 mph. The National Weather Service Web site says that atmospheric conditions around the Hawaiian islands mean Daniel could approach the islands as a relatively strong tropical storm later in the week. Hiu said Daniel is expected to start slowing down tonight. State Civil Defense officials are urging residents to make themselves “Storm Ready” in case Daniel hits the islands. Information on disaster preparedness is available in the Hawaiian Telcom and Paradise telephone directories. A news release from Civil Defense officials advises residents to have disaster kits that they can take to shelters, to stock up on non-perishable food and water in case utilities are not available in the wake of a storm and have fresh batteries for portable radios. Earlier this year the National Weather Service predicted two-to-three tropical cyclones in the central Pacific this season, slightly below average. In a typical year four to five tropical cyclones will affect the region. Daniel formed off the Pacific coast of Mexico and tracked west into the central Pacific. Storms that form in the central Pacific are given Hawaiian names. The first storm that forms in the central Pacific this season will be named Akoni, according to the National Hurricane Center Web site. http://starbulletin.com/breaking/breaking.php?id=4695 Central Pacific Hurricane Center