Fernanda dropped in intensity to a Category 3 hurricane on Saturday, but threatened to strengthen again as it churned toward the Central Pacific.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Fernanda had maximum sustained winds of 125 mph, with stronger gusts.

At 5 p.m. Saturday, the center of the storm was 2,040 miles east of Hilo and moving west-northwest at 14 mph, the center said.

It will likely enter the Central Pacific, passing the 140th meridian, as a tropical storm on Wednesday afternoon, forecasters said.

Large swells in advance of the storm are expected to reach Hawaii early Tuesday.