The tropical depression is forecast to strengthen into Tropical Storm Mokie on Friday.. However, the storm is not forecast to reach hurricane intensity. The center of the storm will stay south of the Hawaiian Islands. HOWEVER, heavy rain is again forecast to occur on the Big Island.  As much as 15 inches of rain is forecast on the Island of Hawaii which will cause a recurrence of flooding but it should not be as bad as occurred with Lala. 

I don't know what is going on, but the NWS just issued a tornado watch for the area below.  We've already had tornado warnings issued. If you live in these areas, please keep up on the latest weather information for the rest of this afternoon and this evening.  -- 2:40 pm -- Surprisingly, given their forecast (below), the NWS has issued a severe thunderstorm, rather than tornado watch, even though the watch forecasts tornadoes. Got it? Please monitor the weather through this evening if you live in these areas.  -- 12:40pm EDT -- As I feared, the NWS Storm Prediction Center has upgraded and extended the tornado risk forecast in the Middle Atlantic Region.  The significant tornado risk (brown) was extended farther south and now includes Washington and more of DelMarVa. The hatching, also new, indicates the possibility of a strong tornado or two. In addition, the area with an enhanced risk of damaging winds (red) has been expanded. Please keep an eye on the weather in t...

Here is the first National Hurricane Center forecast for the low pressure system that may affect Hawaii. The tropical depression is expected to become a tropical storm (" S ") by tomorrow. The white area is the area of uncertainty regarding the center of the storm, not the storm's total effects. There is a risk of heavy rain over the islands, especially the Big Island (the Island of Hawaii) which has severely hit by Lala. Hawaii almost never is struck by tropical storms/hurricsanes except in years with moderate to strong El Nino's. This year has one of the strongest El Nino's ever.  Because I cannot assess the current status of the washouts in Hawaii and Maui, I'm not in a position to give advice with the exception of putting together a "go bag." Recommended contents are below, although they left off plenty of diapers, if appropriate.  Please follow local officials' recommendations.  Of course, I will update later today and tomorrow. 

The National Hurricane Center says there is a 90% chance of a developing system southeast of Hawaii turning into at least a tropical depression.  Very preliminary indications are that a tropical system, with possible heavy rain, will affect the islands the latter half of the weekend or the first of next week.  I will, of course, provide updates. 

This is less than 20 seconds and well worth the time. 

What a Week! On the launch of its first space satellite. Called SNAPPY, it measures solar particles. The story, including the launch, is above.  And, the signs went up on this nationally innovative project.    Between the this first-of-its-kind blending of how doctors, nurses and those in the field of medical technology are educated; the University of Kansas Medical School, and the Kansas School of Osteopathic Medicine, Wichita is becoming quite the center of medical innovation.  And, 40 miles northwest of Wichita -- "The best space museum in the world!" Really. It is pretty impressive when the Administrator of NASA and the astronauts give you that type of endorsement.  The Cosmosphere has always been a plucky, overachieving institution. When they used a loophole to get their Gemini capsule, they spirited it away from Houston -- the second it was legally theirs -- on the back of a flatbed truck borrowed from the local agricultural company.  They spent the ...