Beleaguered Big Islanders who’ve witnessed several tropical cyclones develop in the Pacific and swirl toward Hawaii during a robust hurricane season received a bit of welcome news.

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The former Tropical Storm Norbert has weakened into a tropical depression after entering the Central Pacific basin.

As of 5 p.m. Monday, Norbert was 950 miles east of Hilo packing maximum sustained winds of 35 mph with locally stronger gusts, moving to the west-northwest at 15 mph.

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami predict that Norbert is likely to weaken further into a post-tropical remnant low-pressure system today.

“A generally westward motion is expected over the next couple of days, and continued gradual weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours,” forecasters said.

Norbert’s current path would take it north of the Big Island, should the system survive long enough to arrive,

A second cyclone, dubbed Tropical Depression 15-E by forecasters, has developed in the Eastern Pacific.

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On Monday afternoon, the storm was about 880 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula.

Also packing maximum sustained winds of 35 mph with locally stronger gusts, 15-E was moving west at 10 mph.

“This generally westward motion should continue for the next several days with some increase in forward speed … ,” forecasters said. “Some slight strengthening is forecast during the next 24 hours, and the depression could become a tropical storm” during that time period.

If 15-E becomes a tropical storm, it would be named Odalys, which means “wealth,” “fortune” or “heritage.”

Forecasters also said the tropical depression “remains poorly organized” and the system “is expected to weaken” beginning tonight or Wednesday.

It is also expected to fizzle while still over open ocean and not become a threat to Hawaii.

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Email John Burnett at [email protected].