Category 3 Hurricane Iona Rapidly Weakens South of Hawaii Amid Multiple Pacific Storms

Hurricane Iona, located well south of the Hawaiian Islands, rapidly strengthened to a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds reaching up to 125 mph before beginning to weaken, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). The storm is expected to continue moving westward with additional weakening through Thursday and is forecasted to stay well south of Hawaii, posing no direct threat to the islands. Alongside Iona, the NHC is tracking Tropical Storm Keli, which is moving west and expected to weaken and dissipate within days, as well as three other tropical disturbances showing potential for development. The presence of these systems in the Central Pacific contributes to increased wildfire risk in Hawaii due to enhanced trade winds combined with existing drought conditions. Meteorologists are also monitoring a low-pressure area east-southeast of the islands, which has a chance of developing into a tropical depression or storm. Overall, while these storms are intensifying and moving through the Pacific, no direct impacts to the Hawaiian Islands are anticipated in the immediate future.