Tropical Storm Oho intensified and is expected to reach its peak strength, with about 70 mph winds, as it passes several hundred miles southeast and east of Hawaii island today.
At 5 p.m. Monday, Oho was 340 miles south-southeast of Hilo and 520 miles southeast of Honolulu, moving northeast at 6 mph with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, up from about 50 mph at 5 a.m.
Tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles.
Oho is expected to continue moving northeast, away from the islands, as it increases its speed.
The storm is likely to make its closest pass to Hawaii island sometime today or tonight but should remain 300 to 400 miles offshore.
Outer rain bands from the storm might bring some showers to the Big Island, but Oho is not expected to have a significant impact on the state’s weather.
The storm is expected to remain just below hurricane strength through Wednesday morning, when cooler waters and wind shear will weaken it.
Oho could bring some small surf to south and east shores, but the waves are not expected to reach advisory levels.
Air Force Reserve hurricane hunter planes flew into the storm Monday and were scheduled to continue flying missions to help National Weather Service forecasters gather information on the path and intensity of the cyclone. The WC-130s are flown by the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, based in Mississippi.
A tropical storm warning remains in effect for offshore waters as of 6 p.m. Monday, with winds greater than 39 mph and seas 12 feet or higher expected to the southeast today.
Remnants of another weather system brought clouds and some scattered showers, mostly in windward and mauka areas, to Oahu on Monday morning. The system was expected to move over Maui County and Hawaii island by today.
The forecast for Honolulu and south shores of Oahu calls for sunny skies today with a high of 87 degrees, with very high ultraviolet exposure.
Far from the main Hawaiian Islands, former Tropical Depression Eight-C remained about 1,380 miles southwest of Honolulu, moving northwest at about 10 mph. The remnants of Eight-C will not affect the weather in the main Hawaiian Islands.
In the eastern Pacific no tropical cyclone activity is expected through Wednesday afternoon, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Oho is the 12th named storm in the central Pacific this hurricane season, which lasts through Nov. 30. The previous record of 11 storms was set in 1992 and tied in 1994.
