UPDATE: 11 p.m.

Hurricane Lane continues to be on track to enter the Central Pacific by Saturday where it will be a major hurricane, the National Weather Service said in its latest report.

At 11 p.m., Lane was located 1,675 miles east-southeast of Hilo, moving toward the west near 16 mph.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 80 mph with higher gusts, which keeps it at a category 1 hurricane.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 15 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 90 miles.

5 p.m.

Tropical Storm Lane has developed into a hurricane in the latest update by the National Weather Service.

This makes it the sixth hurricane of the 2018 Pacific season, and it’s expected to strengthen into a major hurricane by Saturday when it crosses over into the Central Pacific.

Lane was last located 1,780 miles east-southeast of Hilo and 1,990 miles east-southeast of Honolulu at 5 p.m. today.

At its current track, Lane is moving toward the west-northwest near 15 mph. A motion between west-northwest and west is expected during the next few days.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 75 mph with higher gusts, making Lane a category 1 hurricane.

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale for Hawaii is a 1 to 5 categorization based on the hurricane’s intensity. The scale provides examples of the type of impacts associated with wind intensity.

>> Tropical Storm: winds 39-73 mph (34-63 kt)

>> Category 1: winds 74-95 mph (64-82 kt)

>> Category 2: winds 96-110 mph (83-95 kt)

>> Category 3: winds 111-129 mph (96-112 kt)

>> Category 4: winds 130-156 mph (113-136 kt)

>> Category 5: winds 157 mph and up (137+ kt)

Rapid strengthening for Hurricane Lane is expected for the next 36 to 48 hours, National Weather Service officials said today.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 15 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles.

11 a.m.

Tropical Storm Lane continues to strengthen today and is expected to become a hurricane tonight or early Friday.

At 11 a.m., Lane was packing maximum sustained winds of 70 mph, located 1,870 miles east-southeast of Hilo and moving west at 13 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Lane could become a major hurricane by Saturday and is expected to make a turn toward the west-northwest on Sunday, according to weather officials.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE

Tropical Storm Lane intensified slightly overnight and continues its movement westward.

Lane had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph and was located 1,935 miles east-southeast of Hilo while moving west at 14 mph as of 5 a.m. today, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Although Lane is expected to continue moving west “for the next day or so,” it’s still forecast to subsequently turn toward the west-northwest and become a hurricane by Friday and possibly a major hurricane over the weekend, according to weather officials.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles from the center.