http://www.examiner.com/x-13058-San-...astern-Pacific
Twin tropical storms in the Eastern Pacific:
One headed to Hawaii?
August 4, 1:16 AM Hurricane Felicia (left) and Tropical Storm Enrique (right) Courtesy: NHCTUESDAY EVENING UPDATE
The Eastern Pacific just turned far more active with Tropical Storm Enrique forming on Monday and now Hurricane Felicia forming just to his left.
Enrique had sustained winds near 50 mph while the quickly strengthening Felicia reached hurricane status on Tuesday with sustained winds near 100 mph.
Twin tropical storms so close together make for a rare treat, a dance of two tropical systems that normally comes at the expense of one or the other.
The presence of one storm so close to another can affect inflow and upper level wind fields, in some ways "robbing" its partner storm of a good convective environment.
Both storms are expected to maintain tropical storm strength (and with Felicia - briefly to hurricane status) and continue moving generally west-northwest and away from Baja California. While Enrique is expected to slowly weaken in the 3-5 day timeline, Felicia will maintain a little more strength going from hurricane back to tropical storm status into the weekend.
Felicia's track will have it approaching the Hawaiian islands by Sunday, moving on or along the same latitude. Recent model run have this storm also maintaining itself as a hurricane a little longer, while nearing the east side of the Big Island by late Sunday. As is the case with tropical forecasting this is subject to quite a bit of change between now and then, but bears watching