Hurricane Central

Hurricane Hector Passed Well South of Hawaii, Generating High Surf and Breezy Conditions

At a Glance

Hector passed well south of the Big Island of Hawaii.
Dangerous surf and rip currents will be the main threat on the island beaches.

Hurricane Hector passed well south of the Big Island of Hawaii with only some peripheral effects expected in the islands.

The tropical storm warning that was in effect for the Big Island has been discontinued.

Building subtropical high pressure north of Hector will keep the hurricane on a generally westward course the next several days.

This kept Hector's eyewall with its strongest winds and heaviest rain well south of Hawaii.

Hector's intensity has ticked down since Monday, possibly due to the presence of dry air in the environment surrounding Hector, or somewhat marginal ocean heat content.

On Monday, Hector's maximum sustained winds peaked at an estimated 155 mph, just shy of Category 5 intensity, making it the strongest central Pacific hurricane since Ioke in 2006, according to Colorado State University tropical scientist Dr. Phil Klotzbach.

(MORE: Hector Could Become a Typhoon Next Week)

Deep tropical moisture behind Hector may produce locally heavy rain across the Hawaiian Islands into Friday. Some local flash flooding is possible in a few spots, particularly along east-, south- or southeastward-facing slopes of the Big Island.

Breezy conditions and high surf were also observed.

(MORE: Hector Won't Be the First Tropical Cyclone to Pass Near Hawaii's Erupting Kilauea Volcano)