Norman Becomes a Major Hurricane Far East of Hawai‘i

Satellite imagery. PC: NOAA/NWS/CPHC

Hurricane Norman has become a major hurricane, but is on a path moving far east of the islands.

At 5 a.m. HST on Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018, Norman was last moving West near 12 mph and was located 480 miles East of Hilo and 545 miles E of Hāna, Maui. The Category 3 system has maximum sustained winds near 115 mph.

The forecast track takes the system to the north of the island chain.

The Central Pacific Hurricane Center reports that large swells generated by Norman will continue to spread from east to west across the Hawaiian Islands during the next couple of days. “Large and potentially dangerous surf produced by these swells is expected along east facing shores through Thursday night,” according to the CPHC forecast.

Meantime, in the East Pacific, Olivia weakened to a Category 2 hurricane overnight and is still over 2200 miles east of the Hawaiian Islands. Forecasters say a turn toward the west-northwest is expected tonight, followed by a gradual turn back toward the west over the weekend.