Hurricane Gilma heads toward Hawaii

Gilma strengthened to a Category 3 hurricane today (Aug. 22) as it continued to move through the eastern Pacific Ocean and toward the Hawaiian Islands, where it is expected to remain powerful for the next couple of days, but far from land.

According to the Associated Press, the storm was most recently located about 1,025 miles (1,649 kilometers) west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula of Mexico, with maximum sustained winds near 115 mph (185 kph).

So far, no coastal watches or warnings have been issued.

Hawaii’s Star Advertiser reported that Hurricane Gilma was located about 2,060 miles east of the town of Hilo at 5 p.m. on Aug. 21, and moving west-northwest near 7 mph, which was expected to continue over the next few days.

The National Weather Service of Honolulu (NWS) said showers and thunderstorms would likely create a tropical cyclone well east-southeast of the islands, which is expected to intensify and potentially pass close to the islands over the weekend.

It also noted other possible scenarios, including winds increasing statewide over the weekend and heavy rain over the windward side of Hawaii island, which could result in flash flooding.

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