The Hurricane Warning for the Big Island has been changed to a Tropical Storm Warning.
At 500 PM HST (0300 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Lane was located by radar and satellite imagery near latitude 17.8 North, longitude 157.9 West. Lane is moving toward the north-northwest near 6 mph (9 km/h). A slow general northward motion is expected to continue through Friday. A turn toward the west is expected Saturday and Sunday, with and increase in forward speed. On the forecast track, the center of Lane will move over, or dangerously close to portions of the main Hawaiian islands tonight and Friday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 120 mph (195 km/h) with higher gusts. Lane is a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours, but Lane is expected to remain a hurricane as it draws closer to the islands.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles (55 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles (205 km).
Hurricane Lane currently is about 18- miles Southwest of Kailua-Kona.
SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for…
* Oahu
* Maui County…including the islands of Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kahoolawe
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for…
* Hawaii County