Dora now a Category 4 hurricane; storm still on track to enter Central Pacific on Sunday

Update at 5 p.m. Aug. 5: Dora intensified again Saturday afternoon. The storm is now a Category 4 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph as it continues churning west and toward the Central Pacific basin.

As of 5 p.m., Hurricane Dora was about 1,335 miles east-southeast of South Point on the Big Island, moving west at 18 mph. The forecast track continues to show the hurricane passing well to the south of the Hawaiian Islands. It should move into the Central Pacific on Sunday.

Fluctuations in intensity are possible during the next day or so, followed by only gradual
weakening through the early part of next week.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 25 miles from Dora’s center, with tropical storm-force winds extending up to 60 miles out.

According to the National Weather Service forecast office in Honolulu, moderate trade winds will prevail through Sunday across the state. An uptick in shower activity is possible through Sunday, however, with the highest rainfall chances remaining over windward areas.

Expect windy, very gusty and dry conditions late Monday into Wednesday. Dora is forecast to pass south and west of the Big Island by Tuesday.

Original story: Hurricane Dora just won’t quit. The storm has intensified again to Category 3 status as it makes its way toward the Central Pacific.

As of 8 a.m. today (Aug. 5), Dora was about 1,480 miles east-southeast of South Point on the Big Island, or about 1,725 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, and moving at about 18 mph. The storm is on a westward track that shows it passing well south of the Hawaiian Islands.

That motion is expected to continue, with some increase in speed, during the next few days. The storm is still forecast to move into the Central Pacific basin on Sunday.

Dora has maximum wind speeds of about 125 mph. Some additional strengthening could happen later today and tonight, but the hurricane should begin weakening Sunday and through Monday.

Hurricane-force winds extend up to 15 miles out from the hurricane’s center, with tropical storm-force winds extending up to 45 miles out.

Moderate trade winds will prevail through Sunday for the islands, said the the 3:35 a.m. Hawaiʻi area synopsis from the National Weather Service forecast office in Honolulu. An upper trough moving near the islands could trigger a modest increase in shower activity, with the highest rainfall chances remaining over windward areas of the state.