Jimena weakens to post-tropical low after entering Central Pacific
NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER
The 5-day forecast track of Tropical Storm Jimena as of late this morning.
UPDATE: 4:45 p.m.
Jimena, a short-lived tropical storm and depression, weakened into a post-tropical remnant low after entering the Central Pacific today.
“Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph with higher gusts. The post-tropical low will gradually weaken over the next two days and is expected to dissipate on Sunday,” the Central Pacific Hurricane Center said this afternoon in its first and last advisory on the storm.
The storm system, less than 1,000 miles east of Hilo, poses no threat to Hawaii, however remnant moisture from Jimena could bring some showers to the islands by the middle of next week, forecasters said.
11:55 a.m.
Jimena has weakened to a tropical depression as it enters the Central Pacific today, and forecasters expect it to dissipate by the end of this weekend.
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The National Hurricane Center in Miami said late this morning that Jimena had maximum sustained winds of 35 mph and was about 1,000 miles east of Hilo. It was moving west-northwest at 8 mph.
Forecasters expect Jimena to be post-tropical remnant low by Saturday morning, and dissipated by late Sunday, still hundreds of miles east of the Hawaiian island.
To Jimena’s northeast in the East Pacific, the former tropical cyclone Hilda continues to weaken and had 30 mph winds late this morning.
While Jimena is not a threat to Hawaii, remnant moisture from the storm could bring some showers to the islands by the middle of next week, according to the National Weather Service in Honolulu.
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Although Tropical Storm Jimena maintained its strength, the former Hurricane Hilda has weakened to a remnant low.
Located 1,045 miles east of Hilo as of 5 a.m. today, Jimena clocked in with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and was moving west-northwest at 9 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Jimena is expected to continue on its current track for the next day or so, turning to the west Saturday night or Sunday, weather officials said.
Forecasters expect the storm to weaken as it crosses into the Central Pacific later today. Jimena is expected to become a remnant low Saturday morning.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from Jimena’s center.
Meanwhile, Hilda was 1,370 miles east of Hilo at 5 a.m., packing maximum sustained winds of 30 mph and moving west-northwest at 10 mph, the NHC said.
Although Hilda is expected to continue on its current track through Saturday, it’s forecast to weaken to a trough of low pressure the same day, weather officials said.
