Hilda becomes major hurricane in Central Pacific
NOAA's GOES-West satellite captured an infrared image of former Tropical Depression Guillermo Friday, showing the storm was elongated from southwest to northeast.
This satellite image taken Saturday morning shows Hurricane Hilda, with a well-developed eye, to the lower right. Remnants of former Tropical Storm Guillermo are off to the northwest of Hawaii.
Computer models show a wide variance in the projected path of Hurricane Hilda. Forecasters say it's important not to focus on individual tracks, but to pay attention to the official forecast track from the National Weather Service.
NOAA's GOES-West satellite captured an infrared image of a rounded Tropical Storm Hilda before it intensified into a hurricane on Friday. Hawaii is seen in the top left corner.
Hilda entered the Central Pacific and quickly became a major hurricane Saturday with winds of 115 mph, remaining on a path that might take it near or over Hawaii as a tropical storm by the middle of next week.
The five-day forecast, which has a large margin of error, suggests the storm could hit the Big island and Maui if it takes a more southerly track.
“It is too early to determine what intensity, track, or forecast trend Hilda will exhibit by the time it approaches the islands. Therefore, the best course of action attm is to remain informed about the progress of Hilda,” forecasters said.
At 5 a.m., Hurricane Hilda was about 950 miles east-southeast of Hilo and 1,160 miles south-southeast of Honolulu, traveling west at 15 mph, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu.
It is a category 3 hurricane and could get stronger before it encounters wind shear and begins to weaken Sunday, forecasters said. It is projected to be a tropical storm northeast of the Big Island on Wednesday.
Hurricane force winds extend 25 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds outward of 90 miles.
Forecasters are expecting Hilda to slow and turn to the west-northwest, which should take the storm on a path north of the islands next week as it weakens, similar to former Hurricane Guillermo’s track over the last two weeks.
Hilda enters the Central Pacific as what’s left of Guillermo moved away from the islands and dissipated after a close encounter north of the state all week.
Southeast winds and moisture from the trailing end of the storm brought muggy weather and scattered showers Friday into Saturday.
“The warm and muggy conditions will gradually ease today as the remnant moisture from former tropical cyclone Guillermo is pushed away from the island chain by returning trades,” forecasters said.
The forecast for the state Saturday calls for partly sunny skies with windward and mauka showers and scattered showers across the islands in the afternoon and more showers in the evening.
Highs will be between 86 and 91 degrees with breezy east winds at 15 to 20 mph with higher gusts.
