Hurricane Hone swirled closer to Hawaii’s Big Island with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph, forecasters said. It is not expected to strengthen as it continues to move westward into Sunday.
The center of Hone is southeast of Hilo and was moving west according to the National Hurricane Center in its 11 p.m. local time update.
Hurricane Hone was forecast to pass near or south of the island early Sunday, with its strength likely to peak Sunday overnight into Monday, the hurricane center said.
"Little change in strength is expected tonight into early Sunday, followed by a gradual weakening trend Sunday afternoon onward," the center said in its 11 p.m. update.
"Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 15 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles," the center said.
Steady rain fell on the Big Island on Saturday afternoon, and it was expected to intensify and threaten flash flooding, the weather service office in Honolulu said.
Residents on the Big Island could see 6 to 12 inches of rain, it said.
A tropical storm remains in effect for Hawaii County, and swells could cause life-threatening surf and rip currents across the island chain on Saturday, the hurricane center said.
"Rapidly rising" wave heights of 14 to 18 feet were forecast for Saturday along the east-facing coastline of the Big Island, where waves could remain dangerously "large and disorganized" through Sunday, the National Weather Service said in a coastal hazard message.
The east-facing shores of Maui could also see a rapid increase in wave heights, the weather service said.
"Stay away from the shoreline along the affected coasts," it said.
Gov. Josh Green proclaimed a state of emergency Saturday that was expected to be in effect through Monday. The proclamation allows the governor to activate the National Guard and a state disaster fund while suspending aspects of state law that could hinder a rapid response.
State forestry and wildlife officials closed camping areas on the Big Island as a precaution, the governor's office said.
There's a hurricane to the east of Hone which is also heading in the direction of the Hawaiian Islands, but it is forecast to become a tropical depression while still in the sea east of the state. There are no coastal watches or warnings in place because of that storm, named Hurricane Gilma.
