Hurricane Kiko, packing winds in excess of 105 mph, is forecast to approach the Hawaiian Islands early this week, but is predicted to pass to the north, meteorologists said Sunday.
The storm was located about 555 miles east of Hilo, Hawaii, and 750 miles east of Honolulu, the National Hurricane Center said in its 5 p.m. HST update.
It was moving northwest at 14 mph, the center said.
On the forecast track, Kiko, a Category 2 storm, was expected to pass north of the Hawaiian island on Tuesday and Wednesday, the NHC said.
However, swells generated by the storm were forecast to reach the Big Island and Maui from Sunday.
“These swells will gradually build and are forecast to peak along east-facing exposures of the Hawaiian Islands late Monday through midweek, potentially producing life-threatening surf and rip currents,” the NHC said.
The storm had weakened slightly from earlier Sunday and forecasters were expecting it to continue to lose strength over the next few days.
“Kiko is expected to become a tropical storm late Monday or Monday night,” it said.
Kiko had intensified to a Category 4 hurricane early last week,but was later downgraded as it weakened off the coast.
No watches or warnings were in place, the NHC said. (UPI)
