NASA sees Hurricane Olivia moving toward Hawaii

NASA's Terra satellite provided an inside look at Hurricane Olivia as it continued to track toward Hawaii. Watches and Warnings remain in effect as Olivia nears.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for. Oahu, Maui County... including the islands of Maui, Molokai, Lanai, and, Kahoolawe, and Hawaii County. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Kauai County...including the islands of Kauai and Niihau.

At 4:45 a.m. EDT (0845 UTC) on Sept. 11, from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite revealed strongest storms in Olivia had cloud tops with temperatures near minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 56.6 degrees Celsius). NASA research has found that cloud top temperatures that cold have the capability to generate heavy rainfall.

NOAA's Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) said "Hurricane Hunters from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron found Olivia's low-level center further east than anticipated. Some conflicting data exists as to the current intensity, as the central pressure has risen, but winds in the northwest quadrant were stronger than earlier today."

At 8 a.m. EDT (2 a.m. HST/1200 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Olivia was located near latitude 21.9 degrees north and longitude 150.7 degrees west. That's about 320 miles (515 km) east-northeast of Hilo, Hawaii.

Maximum sustained winds are near 65 mph (100 kph) with higher gusts. Gradual weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours, but Olivia is expected to remain a tropical storm as it moves over the islands.

Olivia is moving toward the west near 10 mph (17 kph). A turn to the west-southwest is expected later today, with this general motion continuing for the next couple of days. On the forecast track, the center of Olivia will be moving over portions of the main Hawaiian Islands late tonight into Wednesday, Sept. 12.

For updated forecasts, visit: http://www.prh.noaa.gov/cphc