Tropical Storms in the Central North Pacific

Chart Courtesy of NOAA CHC 9:49 PM HST Wed Aug 26, 2009

Click for Hawaiian watches, warnings and advisories.

CENTRAL NORTH PACIFIC

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

Much of the focus the past week or so has been on the Tropical Storms in the Atlantic. That doesn't mean that the Pacific is exempt from tropical storms and hurricanes this time of year. We have been watching that area closely also, but fortunately, the storms that developed became disorganized before threatening any land or cruise ship interests.

Once the NHC begins to monitor a storm, we'll add RSS feeds to this blog so that you can monitor the storm between posts. When developments become significant, we'll write a detailed article to help you plan your cruise vacation in the area.

UPDATE: 500 AM HST FRI AUG 28 2009...HILDA MOVING WEST AND DISSIPATING TO THE SOUTH OF HAWAII... THE DISSIPATING DEPRESSION IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 14 MPH...AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE UNTIL HILDA DISSIPATES IN 24 TO 36 HOURS...

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 30 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS... HILDA IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE WEAKENING...

Local Weather Statements

<More Details> <Warnings and 5-Day Cone >

<NWS Hawaii Forecast>

<NASA Hurricane Tracking>

Cruise Ship Tropical Storm Updates:
<CARNIVAL> <Norwegian Cruise Line> <Royal Caribbean>

Norwegian Cruise Line's Pride of America is the only ship in the area at the time, and is out of harms way, so there have been no ship advisories issued.

Live Cruise Ship and Ocean Liner Tracking:

<Interactive tracking map> See where ships are relative to tropical storms.

Cruise lines monitor weather forecasts and take passenger and crew safety into consideration. During hurricane season, there may be itinerary changes due to tropical storms, so be sure to monitor any storms in the area of your cruise vacation.

Continue to watch this blog for any tropical storm updates during this season.

Extra-Tropical Storm Bill Leaves Atlantic Canada

BILL NO LONGER A HURRICANE

Early Monday morning, the NHC issued the last public bulletin on now Extra-Tropical Bill. We have been monitoring Bill closely for over a week as it made its way toward Bermuda and then on to the Atlantic Canada Maritimes. There are no cruise ships impacted by the storm at this time. (track your cruise ship)

Keeping an Eye on Hurricane Bill / Cruise Ship Impact

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

NASA's GOES Project created a movie of satellite date from August 21-23 showing the progression of Hurricane Bill. This photo (Credit: NASA/GOES Project, Dennis Chesters ) is a still taken from that movie. > View video

Novia Scotia and Newfoundland are the latest areas that can now sigh a breath of relief and cleanup after the tropical storm leaves for open waters of the Northeastern Atlantic Ocean. The winds were strong causing tree branches to knock out power to thousands of customers in the Canadian provinces, but most of the power has been restored today.

According to CBC News Canada, Ramona Jennex, the minister responsible for the Emergency Management Office, said "This was a huge storm and we were blessed that it missed us." Had the storm come closer to the coast, the story could be much different.

Here are some Hurricane Bill Photos from Canada.

The first Atlantic Tropical Storms have come late in the hurricane season this year, which often means they will be more powerful. Hurricane Bill was powerful indeed, but fortunately stayed offshore in Bermuda, the East Coast of the U.S., and the Atlantic Canadian Provinces.

There is another storm brewing in the Pacific, Tropical Storm Hilda. As you can see, I've added a RSS feed for that storm. Should that storm become a hurricane and threaten Hawaii, and ships in the area, we will monitor that storm just like we did for Bill.

Remember, cruise lines monitor the weather constantly and adjust their schedules to keep passengers and crew safe. There were only minor changes necessary during Hurricane Bill.