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Tropical Depression Three-C's track as of 11 p.m. Thursday. (Courtesy NOAA / NWS)
Tropical Depression 3C formed overnight and is expected to become a hurricane over the weekend as it moves toward Hawaii.
At 11 p.m., the storm was about 570 miles south-southeast of Hilo and 760 miles southeast of Honolulu.
The storm is the third system to form in the Central Pacific this season and is expected to strengthen into a hurricane Saturday.
The storm could track close to Hawaii next week.
“There are still significant disagreements between long-range models upon how this scenario will evolve. It is still too early to determine what impacts will be felt in the islands from this potentially developing disturbance. Either scenarios do hint a possible increase in the rain chances for the islands. The latest forecasts should be monitored closely, especially if making outdoor plans for the upcoming weekend,” the Honolulu office of the National Weather Service said.
If it becomes a named storm, it will be given the Hawaiian name of Kilo.
U.S. Air Force hurricane hunter planes are redeploying to Hawaii and should make their first pass through the storm on Friday.
Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center are also watching an area of disturbed weather about 950 mile southwest of Baja California. There’s a 40 percent chance of it becoming a tropical cyclone this weekend or next week as it moves west.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Danny formed in the Atlantic, becoming the first hurricane of the Atlantic season.
Danny’s maximum sustained winds Thursday evening increased to near 80 mph and additional strengthening is forecast during the next two days.
The hurricane is centered about 970 miles east of the Windward Islands and is moving west-northwest near 10 mph.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Danny is a small storm with hurricane-force winds only extending outward up to 10 miles from the center.
The storm does not currently pose a threat to any land.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
