Tropical Storm Hone formed in the central Pacific on Thursday on a forecast track that may pass near Hawaii’s Big Island, while Hurricane Gilma was a Category 2 storm at sea.
Hone had maximum sustained winds of about 50 mph, with stronger gusts, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center said in a warning at 5 p.m. EDT Friday. Meteorologists said Hone’s center could pass near or south of the Big Island Saturday night or early Sunday. As of Friday night, it was located about 425 miles southeast of Hilo, Hawaii, and moving west at 16 mph.
NOAA//STAR
According to meteorologists, the storm will intensify over the next two days and could develop into a hurricane by Sunday.
According to the hurricane center, between 5 and 10 inches of rain are expected on the windward and southeast-facing slopes of Hawaii’s Big Island between Saturday and Monday. Up to 4 inches of rain are expected on the windward areas of the smaller islands.
A tropical storm warning has been issued for Hawaii County, which includes the Big Island.
The swell generated by Hone could “cause life-threatening surf and current conditions.”
NOAA
The Central Pacific hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. NOAA forecast one to four tropical cyclones for the Central Pacific region this year, which is below the average of four to five. A tropical cyclone includes tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes. A tropical cyclone becomes a tropical storm when its maximum sustained winds reach 39 mph and a hurricane when they reach 74 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Gilma remained a major hurricane in the eastern Pacific with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph. It had strengthened from a Category 3 to a Category 2 storm, meaning it is no longer considered a major hurricane.
Gilma followed Hone, which is located about 1,750 miles (2,800 kilometers) east of Hilo and moving westward at 9 mph (14 kph). It was expected to remain a hurricane through the weekend but would likely weaken, forecasters said.
There were no coast watches or warnings issued for Gilma. The system strengthened into a tropical storm on Sunday and has been gaining strength since then.
According to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, hurricane-force winds reached up to 35 miles outward from the center of Gilma, and tropical storm-force winds reached up to 115 miles outward.
