First named storm in Central Pacific in 5 years impacts Hawaii this weekend

It was a quiet start to the Pacific hurricane season, but things are heating up again with a storm passing south of Hawaii early next week. Tropical Storm Hone is expected to reach hurricane strength tomorrow and is the first named storm in the Central Pacific basin since 2019. At the same time, the strongest storm of the season formed in the Eastern Pacific; Hurricane Gilma was a category 3 hurricane marking it as the first major hurricane of the season.

Hone will bring winds up to 70 mph by late Sunday and between 4 to 8 inches of rainfall on the southeastern slopes of the Big Island of Hawaii. Hurricane Gilma is over a thousand miles east and officially formed in the Eastern Pacific. Gilma will weaken to a tropical depression as it will take nearly a week to reach the Hawaiian islands. There is also a low pressure area of interest a bit further east of Gilma that has high confidence to become the next named storm of the Pacific hurricane season in the coming days.