The storm that was Hurricane Daniel on Monday had dwindled to a cluster of rain clouds by yesterday morning and is expected to drift toward the Islands on south-southeast winds.

The storm's rapid dissipation surprised weather forecasters as well as civil defense officials, who had been planning for the worst.

"The water temperature didn't change that much, there wasn't much wind shear," said Jim Weyman, director of the Central Pacific Hurricane Center.

Meteorologists believe that the storm may have sucked in cool, dry air from the north, which shut down the thunderstorms that were helping to keep the tropical storm functioning, he said. "The real forecast problem right now" is predicting where the remnants go next, Weyman said.

What is left of Daniel was drifting west yesterday on a course that could cause it to pass well south of the Big Island. But north enough to affect the island.

If Daniel's clouds do cross the Big Island, they still contain enough moisture to cause significant rain and could cause flooding, Weyman said. While it is difficult to judge when the storm's remains will reach the vicinity of Hawai'i, Weyman said it could be sometime on Saturday or Sunday.

Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com.