Hurricane ANA

Please Pray for the protection of all people and property on the Hawaiian Islands as Tropical Storm ANA approaches this weekend.

TROPICAL STORM WATCH posted for the island of Hawaii. #ANA slightly weaker, track going farther south with regards to the island of Hawaii then jogging northwest tonight or early Thursday.

5pm UPDATE:

Maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, gusting to 75 mph with tropical storm force winds extending 65 miles from the center of the storm.
Moving toward the west at 9 mph
Expected to gradually strengthen peaking in intensity at 80 mph sometime on Friday.

On satellite imagery Ana’s structure has taken a bit of a hit and appears less organized and more ragged. Models are indicating sea surface temperatures are warm enough to continue to fuel the storm and wind shear conditions are favorable for further intensification of the system over the next 48 hours. On the other hand, several other models are no longer forecasting Ana to become a hurricane.

A NASA Gulfstream jet collected data this afternoon from the surrounding atmosphere around the system and we should have a better understanding of the system for the next update.

Forecasters with the National Weather Service say they are leaning toward the models that indicate Ana is forecast to strengthen through Friday, becoming a hurricane by Thursday. The track has been nudged farther south with regards to the Big Island before jogging northwest tonight or early Thursday.

Potential Impacts:
Heavy rain may reach the Big Island late Friday potentially causing dangerous flash flooding and mud slides.

Large dangerous surf conditions are expected to begin impacting the eastern end of the Hawaiian islands late Thursday. In the best case scenario ANA goes well south and is nothing but a high surf event. The worst case scenario is landfall which could bring flooding rains, extreme winds, storm surge and coastal flooding.