Tropical Storm Pena forms southeast of Hawaii, poses no threat to land

Tropical Storm Pena formed today about 650 miles southeast of the Big Island, but poses no threat to land.

As of 11 a.m. today, the storm was centered about 650 miles southeast of South Point on the Big Island, with maximum sustained winds of about 45 mph, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu. It was moving west at about 12 mph.

Winds of tropical storm strength extend up to 45 miles from Pena’s center. No coastal watches or warnings are in effect.

Forecasters said the storm is expected to keep moving west for the next several days and pass far south of the islands. They said gradual strengthening is expected over the next day or so, followed by little change through early next week.

Forecasters said confidence in the storm’s track drops after about Monday, when computer forecast models begin to disagree. The strength forecast is also uncertain, with some models showing the storm nearing hurricane strength and others having it weaken to a tropical depression.

The system is likely to pass too far south to bring rain to the islands, but it will likely boost tradewinds early next week, according to the National Weather Service in Honolulu.

A small craft advisory is in effect for all Hawaiian waters until 6 a.m. Sunday because of northeast winds of about 23 to 35 mph and seas of 6 to 11 feet, weather officials said. The advisory will likely stay in place through at least Sunday night.

Separately, a high surf advisory remains in effect until 6 p.m. today for north- and west-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu and Molokai and north-facing shores of Maui.

Forecasters said a large north-northwest swell is slowly declining. Surf of 14 to 18 feet was forecast along north-facing shores and 10 to 14 feet along west-facing shores, and strong breaking waves and currents make swimming dangerous. Forecasters said another northwest swell could bring surf near advisory levels early Sunday.