Tropical Storm Hone, Hurricane Gilma: Storm Track and Path Forecast
Hawaii is bracing for heavy rain and windy conditions from Tropical Storm Hone this weekend.
The National Weather Service (NWS) forecast that Hone will pass south of the Hawaiian Islands and briefly strengthen into a hurricane southwest of Hawaii Sunday night into Monday, the weather service said.
Weather experts warn that Hone could bring a risk of wildfires, especially if areas experience high winds and no rain.
“If Hone loses its organization and some of the rain bands collapse, the leeward sides of the mountains could get very little to no rain and could get a lot of wind instead, which could increase the wildfire risk,” AccuWeather senior hurricane expert Alex DaSilva said Friday.
The NWS also said the National Hurricane Center was issuing advisories for Hurricane Gilma. The hurricane is currently about 1,650 miles east of Hilo, Hawaii, the weather service said. Gilma poses less of a threat to land than Hone and is expected to “weaken significantly before reaching Hawaii,” according to Accuweather.
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Hawaii Prepares for Hone
The island of Hawaii had already received several warnings before Hone. That included a tropical storm warning, a flood warning, a high swell warning and a red flag fire warning, according to the NWS office in Honolulu on Saturday.
In an update Friday afternoon, Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth said Hone was not likely to cause a public safety power shutoff, or PSPS, due to the wildfire risk by Hawaiian Electric, the local energy provider. That’s because high winds, low humidity and dry conditions are typically required for outages, he said in a video posted to social media. Instead, Hone is likely to bring rain.
“It’s a possibility, but not a strong possibility, that there will be a PSPS event,” he said.
In anticipation of Hone, state officials also closed campgrounds and hunting areas on Hawaii Island over the weekend.
“Everyone is urged to exercise caution and stay informed about current and forecasted weather conditions,” a state news release said Friday. “Additional closures may occur without notice.”
Tropical Storm Tracker Hone
Hurricane Gilma Tracking
Ahjané Forbes is a reporter on USA TODAY’s national trends team. Ahjané covers breaking news, car recalls, crime, health care, the lottery and public policy. Email her at aforbes@gannett.com. Follow her on Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter) @forbesfineest