WTPA33 PHFO 291436 TCPCP3 BULLETIN HURRICANE IGNACIO ADVISORY NUMBER 19 NWS CENTRAL PACIFIC HURRICANE CENTER HONOLULU HI EP122015 500 AM HST SAT AUG 29 2015 ...IGNACIO RAPIDLY INTENSIFIES TO A MAJOR HURRICANE... SUMMARY OF 500 AM HST...1500 UTC...INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------- LOCATION...15.9N 146.5W ABOUT 625 MI...1005 KM ESE OF HILO HAWAII ABOUT 835 MI...1340 KM ESE OF HONOLULU HAWAII MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...115 MPH...185 KM/H PRESENT MOVEMENT...WNW OR 300 DEGREES AT 8 MPH...13 KM/H MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...961 MB...28.38 INCHES WATCHES AND WARNINGS -------------------- CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY... A TROPICAL STORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR HAWAII COUNTY. SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT... A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR... * HAWAII COUNTY A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 48 HOURS. INTERESTS ELSEWHERE IN THE MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SHOULD CONTINUE TO CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF IGNACIO. WATCHES MAY BE REQUIRED FOR ADDITIONAL ISLANDS LATER TODAY OR TONIGHT. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN HONOLULU HAWAII. DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK ------------------------------ AT 500 AM HST...1500 UTC...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IGNACIO WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 15.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE 146.5 WEST. IGNACIO IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 8 MPH...13 KM/H...AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...THE OUTER WINDS OF IGNACIO COULD AFFECT THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII BY EARLY MONDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 115 MPH...185 KM/H...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. IGNACIO IS A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE. SOME ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST TODAY...FOLLOWED BY GRADUAL WEAKENING ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 35 MILES...55 KM...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105 MILES...165 KM. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 961 MB...28.38 INCHES. HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND ---------------------- WIND...TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE ON THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII ON MONDAY. RAINFALL...TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS NEAR 6 INCHES MAINLY IN AREAS OF HIGHER TERRAIN... ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WATCH AREA. SURF...LARGE SWELLS GENERATED BY IGNACIO WILL ARRIVE ALONG EAST AND SOUTHEAST FACING SHORES OF THE MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. RESULTANT SURF WILL BE LARGE AND POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING...ESPECIALLY ON THE BIG ISLAND LATER THIS WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK. NEXT ADVISORY ------------- NEXT INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY...800 AM HST. NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY...1100 AM HST. $$ FORECASTER BIRCHARD