Hurricane Olivia weakens as it tracks toward Hawaii

Hurricane Olivia was expected to weaken to a tropical storm before making landfall on Hawaii. Image courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Sept. 8 (UPI) — Hurricane Olivia weakened Friday as it moved west toward Hawaii, the National Hurricane Center said.

The eye of the Category 2 storm was located about 1,375 miles east of Hilo, Hawaii, and 1,550 miles east of Honolulu, the NHC said in its 2 p.m. PDT update. The hurricane was traveling west-northwest at 16 mph with 110 mph maximum sustained winds.

The NHC said Olivia will weaken further over the weekend, and possibly downgrade to a tropical storm by Tuesday. The forecast track shows the storm continuing in a northwest trajectory before turning southwest and making landfall in the Hawaiian Islands sometime Wednesday.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the eye and tropical storm-force winds extend up to 115 miles.

Hurricane Norman passed by the islands to the northeast but avoided a direct hit.

Eye spy Hurricane ‘s well-defined eye! Well, technically, did all the hard work. This Cat. 3 storm is packing maximum sustained winds of 115 mph out in the eastern Pacific. More imagery: http://goo.gl/G74rVB 

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