HILO, Hawaii (AP) — Tropical Storm Henriette rapidly strengthened into a hurricane Sunday in the central Pacific Ocean with further strengthening expected, but it poses no threat to land, the National Hurricane Center said.
The Miami-based center said the storm was located about 445 miles (720 kilometers) north-northeast of Hilo, Hawaii, with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 kph).
It was moving northwest at 17 mph (28 kph) on a course that’s expected to take it well north of the Hawaiian islands over the next few days. The storm was expected to strengthen through Monday followed by weakening on Tuesday.
The center described Henriette as a small tropical cyclone. Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 15 miles (30 kilometers) from the storm’s center.
Tropical Storm Ivo was also moving through the Pacific, about 470 miles (755 kilometers) west of the tip of Baja California, Mexico, and was expected to weaken to a remnant low by Monday, the hurricane center said.
The storm had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph) and was moving west-northwest at 12 mph (19 kph). No coastal watches or warnings were in effect.
