Hurricane Felicia, a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of115 mph, is about 1,350 miles east of Hilo, Hawaii. This hurricane will have nodirect effect on any landmass through this weekend. However, there will behigher-than-normal surf and rainfall for portions of Hawaii early nextweek.The hurricane was fueled by very warm water and very favorable upper-levelwinds through Thursday, reaching major Category 4 storm status. Warm waterallowed for the rapid growth of thunderstorms, which released warm, buoyant airaround the core of the storm. This process has led to more intensethunderstorms, lower pressure within the storm's center, and increasing windsabout the hurricane.
As Felicia continues to move west-northwestward, it will pass over coolerwater through this weekend and, at the same time, lose those favorableupper-level winds. This cooler water will cause a decrease in thunderstormdevelopment, rising pressure within the storm's center, and diminishing wind.
Felicia should be downgraded to a tropical storm with winds of 65 mph bySaturday evening, and should weaken to a depression with winds less than 30 mphby Monday evening. By that time, the storm's circulation will have spread out,causing increased surf with some wind and rain for the eastern part of the BigIsland of Hawaii.
Forecast by AccuWeather.com Meteorologists Dan Kottlowski and Meghan Evans.
