UPDATE: 5 p.m.

Gilma continued to strengthen some more, with maximum sustained winds of near 110 mph, with higher gusts, according to the National Hurricane Center of Miami.

At 5 p.m. Hurricane Gilma was located about 2,060 miles east of Hilo, and moving west-northwest near 7 mph, with that motion expected to continue over the next few days.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles.

The National Weather Service of Honolulu says a tropical cyclone is is likely to form from a set of showers and thunderstorms (EP91) well east-southeast of the islands sometime tonight or Thursday. It is expected to intensify the next few days, potentially passing close to the islands over the weekend.

While it’s too early for specifics, NWS forecasters said possible scenarios include winds increasing statewide this weekend, especially Saturday night into Sunday, with gusts of 50 mph or more.

There is also the potential for heavy rain over the windward side of Hawaii island late Saturday into Sunday, which could result in flash flooding. On other isles, flooding is also possible, but dependent on the track of the potential tropical cyclone.

The drier air filtering in across the state on Saturday ahead of any potential tropical cyclone could also elevate fire weather concerns and bring high surf to east-facing shores.

These scenarios, however, come with forecast uncertainy, and are based on current trends, which can change over the next few days.

11:30 a.m.

Gilma continues to intensify in the Eastern Pacific, and as of 11 a.m., was packing maximum sustained winds of 105 mph with higher gusts, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

As of 11 a.m., Gilma was located about 2,105 miles east-southeast of Hilo, and moving west-northwest at 7 mph.

Weather officials said Gilma could become a Category 4 hurricane by Thursday afternoon.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from Gilma’s center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles.

A continued slow westward to west-northwestward motion is expected over the next few days.

The National Weather Service of Honolulu, meanwhile, is watching another disturbance, EP91, which it expects to form into a tropical cyclone well east-southeast of the islands today. This tropical cyclone, NWS said, could potentially pass dangerously close to the islands over the weekend.

NWS said it is too early to forecast specifics on potential timing and impacts for the islands, but that some potential threats include strong and damaging winds, and heavy rainfall, with flooding, as well as high surf.

AccuWeather, meanwhile, is forecasting this tropical wind and rainstorm to strengthen into a named tropical storm within the next 24 to 48 hours. The next name on the official list of tropical storms for the Eastern Pacific is Hector.

If the storm is named in the Central Pacific, however, it would be given the name Hone.

AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham also warns that tradewinds will pick up across Hawaii ahead of the storm, potentially leading to an elevated risk of wildfires across the islands.

“A majority of the Hawaiian Islands have experienced worsening drought conditions in recent weeks, so any rainfall will be beneficial to the island chain,” said Buckingham. “However, if a majority of the rain strays to the south of the islands and the primary impacts from the storm come from gusty winds, the wildfire risk could greatly increase as the storm passes by.”

Pockets of severe and extreme drought conditions have been reported recently on Maui and Hawaii island.

“It is the peak of hurricane season here in Hawaii, and now is a good time to make sure that you and your family are prepared,” warned NWS officials.

For more information on hurricane preparations, visit weather.gov/safety/hurricane-plan.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE

Gilma continues to strengthen this morning in the East Pacific after becoming the second hurricane of the 2024 East Pacific hurricane season Tuesday night.

Now forecast to become a major hurricane, as of 5 a.m. this morning Gilma was packing maximum sustained winds of 85 mph with higher gusts and located 2,130 miles east-southeast of Hilo heading west at 7 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Weather officials expect Gilma to continue strengthening over the next 48 hours, possibly becoming a major hurricane by the end of the week. The storm is also forecast to continue westward to west-northwest over the same period.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from Gilma’s center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles.

Meanwhile, well east-southeast of Hawaii, showers and thunderstorms are becoming better organized around a well-defined area of low pressure, according to the NHC. If this trend continues, a tropical depression or tropical storm is likely to develop later today as the system moves westward at 10 to 15 mph. A weaker disturbance just to the southwest is expected to merge with this system later today.

The system is expected to strengthen as it enters the Central Pacific basin tonight or Thursday and could approach the Hawaiian islands late this weekend or early next week.

Weather officials advise residents to closely monitor this disturbance, though it is still too early to determine the exact location and potential impact. However, the likelihood the system will form a tropical cyclone in the next 48 hours has increased to 90%.

The forecast for the islands calls for limited and brief showers through Saturday. But from late Friday through the weekend, the weather will be highly dependent on the track and intensity of a tropical cyclone that is expected to develop far east-southeast of the islands, according to the National Weather Service.