The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Hurricane Center and Central Pacific Hurricane Center revealed details early Monday of Hurricane Kiko’s path near Hawaii. A timing graphic illustrated various points in the day in which the storm will pass northeast of the islands throughout Monday afternoon and into Tuesday morning. While Kiko isn’t expected to hit Hawaii directly and it was downgraded to a Category 1 storm, winds from the storm are forecast to create some extreme conditions along the eastern shore of the islands.
Kiko was approximately 410 miles east of Hilo and 590 miles east of Honolulu at 5 a.m. Monday with maximum sustained winds of 85 miles per hour, the center reported. They also forecast that the storm will continue to weaken throughout the day and could be a tropical storm by Monday evening. On September 6, Kiko was maintaining maximum sustained winds of 140 mph and by September 7, those winds had weakened to 110 mph, the center reported.
“Swells generated by Kiko are expected to gradually build and are forecast to peak along east-facing exposures of the Hawaiian Islands late today [Monday] through the middle of the week, potentially producing life-threatening surf and rip currents. Listen to the latest updates and potential High Surf Warnings issued from the national Weather Service in Honolulu, Hawaii,” the NOAA said.
The state of Hawaii had issued an emergency declaration on Friday, September 5 in anticipation of the storm. Kiko was located approximately 1,200 miles east-southeast of Hawaii at the time.
“To ensure the safety and preparedness of our communities, the state and counties will stand ready to mobilize resources to clear debris, secure infrastructure, and respond quickly to any possible damage caused by the storm,” said Acting Governor Sylvia Luke. “We urge residents and visitors to monitor updates, follow official guidance and prepare accordingly.”
