Tropical Storm Hone increased to a Category 1 hurricane while continuing its steady approach toward Hawaii late on Saturday, forecasters said.
Tropical Storm Hone increased to a Category 1 hurricane while continuing its steady approach toward Hawaii late on Saturday, forecasters said.
Hone (pronounced hoe-NEH) had top winds of 75mph (120kph), according to an 11pm advisory by the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu. The minimum threshold for a hurricane is 74mph (119kph).
A tropical storm warning remained in effect for the Big Island as the storm moved west at 12mph (19kph) about 105 miles (170 kilometres) south of Hilo, Hawaii, and about 275 miles (440 kilometres) southeast of Honolulu, the centre said.
The hurricane centre, part of the National Weather Service, previously said Hone was expected to remain just below hurricane strength at its peak Sunday through Monday.
Hurricane Gilma, still about 1,480 miles (2,380 kilometres) east of Hilo, increased to a Category 4 hurricane on Saturday night.
Hone, whose name is Hawaiian for “sweet and soft,” drew near the islands on Saturday with breezes that were expected to intensify and increase the wildfire risk for drier parts of the state even as memories are still fresh from last year’s deadly blazes on Maui.
A red flag fire warning was in effect for the leeward sides of all islands through 6pm on Saturday. The National Weather Service issues the alert when warm temperatures, very low humidity, and stronger winds combine to raise fire dangers.
“They gotta take this thing serious,” said Calvin Endo, a Waianae Coast neighbourhood board member who lives in Makaha, a leeward Oahu neighbourhood prone to wildfires.
