Hurricane 10E (Hilda), # 1

The forecast path may prompt forecasters to issue a Tropical Storm Watch for the Big Island of Hawaii as soon as tonight.

Here Comes Hilda! A Tropical storm Thursday is on the verge of becoming a raging Category Three hurricane.

A weakening Hurricane Hilda could bring heavy rain and high surf Thursday to Friday to Maui County, though a National Weather Service meteorologist cautioned that the forecast remains fluid given the system’s distance from the islands. Hilda is at category 2 now, and currently has sustained winds of 105 miles per hour…with gusts to near 127 miles per hour.

The center of Hurricane Hilda was located near latitude 15.7 north and longitude 149.1 west. That puts the center of Hilda about 480 miles (775 km) southeast of Hilo, Hawaii.

As the storm weakens, trade winds from the east and northeast are steering it on a more southerly track.

“Although Hilda is a compact tropical cyclone, the low-level moisture field surrounding it rather broad, which means that the eastern islands could see an increase in shower activity even when Hilda is several hundred miles away”, the weather service said.

Hurricane force winds extended outward up to 25 miles (35 km) from the center and tropical storm force winds extended outward up to 70 miles (110 km).

Swells associated with Hilda are expected to produce large and potentially life-threatening surf along the east and southeast facing shores of the main Hawaiian Islands over the next couple of days.

“There still could be a significant rain threat as it (Hilda) gets closer a few days from now”, said Derek Wroe, a meteorologist with the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu.

The storm began to weaken over the weekend as it took a northwest turn and encountered an upper level jet, leading to slowing and weakening. Wave heights of 6 to 10 feet are expected Monday, building to 8 to 12 feet Monday night and Tuesday.

Hilda became a Category 4 hurricane on Saturday but has slowly weakened due to the strong winds aloft.