Iona becomes first hurricane in central Pacific Ocean this year
As of early Monday morning in Hawaii, Iona was located about 895 miles southeast of Honolulu, according to the National Hurricane Center based in Miami.
Iona was expected to move westward for the next couple of days, forecasters with the hurricane center said.
"Confidence remains high that Iona will stay well south of the Hawaiian Islands," forecasters said.
The storm was a Category 1 hurricane and it is expected to strengthen. By Tuesday, Iona's maximum sustained wind speeds were forecast to be at Category 2 strength.
The storm was then expected to gradually weaken during the week.
Iona initially formed as a tropical depression late Saturday night, forecasters said. As the depression gained strength, it turned into the first named storm in the central Pacific Ocean this season.
The eastern Pacific has seen several named storms so far this season. Last month, Erick made landfall in Mexico as a Category 3 hurricane.
Earlier this month, Flossie also reached Category 3 strength as it skirted up the Mexican coast, but ultimately didn't make landfall. Barbara, this season's first hurricane in the eastern Pacific, reached Category 1 strength off Mexico's coast, and also didn't make landfall.
The Atlantic Ocean has seen three named tropical storms so far this year. Forecasters at Colorado State University expect the Atlantic season to be above average with 16 named storms, eight of which are expected to be hurricanes.
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