Gilma continues strengthening today after reaching major hurricane status Wednesday night and Tropical Depression One-C has formed in the Central Pacific this morning.

At 5 a.m. today, Hurricane Gilma was located 2,015 miles east of Hilo in the Eastern Pacific with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph with higher gusts and moving toward the west-northwest near 7 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Now a category 3 hurricane, forecasters expect Gilma to strengthen slightly today before slowly weakening through the weekend. The storm should continue on its current track for a day or so before turning more westward.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 130 miles.

Meanwhile, in the Central Pacific, Tropical Depression One-C has maximum sustained winds of 35 mph with higher gusts and was located 985 miles east-southeast of Hilo as of 5 a.m. today moving west near 14 mph, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center.

Forecasters expect One-C to gradually strengthen over the next 48 hours, likely forming a tropical storm later today.

Weather in the islands from Saturday through Monday will look very wet and windy with 4 to 8 inches of total storm rainfall possible along the windward side of Hawaii island and 2 to 4 inches possible along the windward areas of the smaller islands, the CPHC said. “Strong and gusty” winds are expected to buffet the islands as the storm approaches from the east.

Swells generated by the tropical depression should also start reaching the islands this weekend. “These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip currents,” the CPHC said.