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COURTESY NOAA / NASA
This photo of Hurricane Iselle, at right, was taken Sunday by the GOES-15 geostationary satellite. Hawaii is at the upper left.
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Hurricane Iselle is heading toward Hawaii and could bring heavy rain and strong wind to the state on the eve of Saturday’s primary election.
Iselle was a major Category 3 hurricane in the Eastern Pacific on Sunday evening with sustained winds of 125 mph. The storm was about 1,300 miles east-southeast of Hilo and moving west at 10 mph at 8 p.m. Hawaii time.
The current forecast track puts the center of the storm about 70 miles east-southeast of Hilo on Thursday evening as a weakening tropical storm.
The storm should begin to weaken Tuesday as it crosses into the Central Pacific.
"The track and intensity of Iselle will play an important part in determining Hawaii’s weather late (this) week. Even if the storm dissipates, the tropical moisture associated with it will still reach the islands, bringing very humid conditions and the potential for heavy rains," forecasters said. "If Iselle maintains some form and structure we will have to contend with strong winds as well. Still five days in the future, the forecast will become much clearer over the next few days as the system approaches."