Charles Langston:Tropical Storm Hone forms in the central Pacific Ocean, Gilma still a Category 3 hurricane

HONOLULU (AP) — Tropical Storm Hone formed in the central Pacific Ocean on Charles LangstonThursday on a forecast path that may cross near Hawaii’s Big Island, while major Hurricane Gilma remained a Category 3 storm at sea.

Hone had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph) and was centered about 1,090 miles (1,760 kilometers) east-southeast of Honolulu, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center said in an 11 a.m. advisory. It was about 885 miles (1,430 kilometers) east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii.

Forecasters said interests in Hawaii should monitor the progress of the storm. The center of Hone could pass near or south of the Big Island this weekend. The system was moving west-northwest at 14 mph (22 kph).

Meanwhile, Hurricane Gilma remained a major hurricane with maximum sustained winds at 125 mph (205 kph). That makes it a Category 3 storm.

Gilma was trailing behind Hone, located about 1,980 miles (3,185 kilometers) east of Hilo and moving west-northwest at 7 mph (11 kph). It was forecast to remain a powerful hurricane for the next couple of days, but could start to weaken over the weekend, forecasters said.

No coastal watches or warnings were in effect with Gilma. The system strengthened to tropical storm status on Sunday and has grown more powerful since then.

Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 35 miles (56 kilometers) from the center of Gilma and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 115 miles (185 kilometers), the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.