Weather update #5: Hurricane Iona weakens as it continues to move west

5 a.m. update Tuesday: Hurricane Iona is now 695 miles south-southwest of Honolulu and is expected to rapidly weaken.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Iona has maximum sustained winds of 75 miles mph and is moving west near 20 mph.

According to a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, Iona will move past the Hawaiian Islands chain with no impact.

Additional weakening is expected today with the hurricane anticipated to weaken to a tropical storm later this morning. Forecasters say they expect little change in strength tonight and Thursday.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward to 25 miles from the center and tropical-storm force winds extend out up to 90 miles.

5 a.m. update Tuesday: Hurricane Iona is expected to begin weakening on Wednesday.

Iona is a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale with winds of 125 mph and higher gusts, according to a 5 a.m. update from the National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward 25 miles, with tropical-storm force winds extending outward 80 miles.

Now 765 miles south-southeast of Honolulu, Iona is moving westward at 13 mph. According to the National Hurricane Center, this motion is expected to continue for the next couple days before the hurricane turns west-northwest.

There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect and no impact is expected to hit the islands, forecasters reported.

5 p.m. update Monday: Hurricane Iona is expected to become a major hurricane on Tuesday.

As of 5 p.m., Hurricane Iona is about 810 miles southeast of Honolulu, moving westward about 60 miles in six hours. This motion is expected to continue with a gradual increase in forward speed during the next couple of days.

The National Hurricane Center is predicting rapid strengthening tonight and expect Iona to become a major hurricane on Tuesday. Steady weakening is expected to begin by Wednesday.

According to weather forecasters, maximum sustained wind speed has increased to 85 miles per hour and hurricane-force winds continue to extend outward up to 15 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles.

Kauaʻi Now will provide hurricane updates as more information develops.

11 a.m. update Monday: Hurricane Iona is expected to strengthen and gradually increase in speed as it continues to move west.

As of 11 a.m., Hurricane Iona is about 870 miles southeast of Honolulu, which is 25 miles closer than the last update at 5 a.m, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Wind speed remains the same with the maximum sustained winds near 75 miles per hour. Hurricane-force winds continue to extend outward up to 15 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles.

Kauaʻi Now will provide hurricane updates as more information develops.

5 a.m. update Monday: Tropical Storm Iona quickly strengthened into a hurricane.

As of 5 a.m., the center of Hurricane Iona was 895 miles southeast of Honolulu, moving west at 10 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

This motion is expected to continue with a gradual increase in forward speed during the next couple of days.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 75 mph with higher gusts. Additional strengthening is forecast over the next day or two. Gradual weakening is expected to begin around midweek.

According to forecasters, hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 15 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles.

Big Island Now will provide hurricane updates as more information develops.

Original post: A tropical depression One-C, has upgraded to a tropical storm and is now 960 miles southeast of Honolulu.

According to the National Weather Service in Honolulu, Tropical Storm Iona is moving west with maximum sustained winds near 40 mph with higher gusts. Steady strengthening is forecast during the next couple of days.

Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center.

A low-pressure area has also formed east-southeast of the Hawaiian Islands. While the associated thunderstorm activity is currently disorganized, gradual development of this system is possible during the next couple of days while it moves generally westward at 10 mph.

According to the weather forecasters, the chances it will form into a cyclone over the next 48 hours are 40%.