Tropical Storm Hone forms as it churns toward Hawaii, continues to strengthen

A tropical depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Hone on Thursday, further raising alarms across the islands of Hawaii as officials prepare for possible impacts and also track a major hurricane in the eastern Pacific.

Hone, the first named storm of the 2024 central Pacific hurricane season, formed after thunderstorms in the eastern Pacific merged and rapidly organized in recent days. The storm was churning west-northwest at 14 mph, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center's 5 p.m. ET advisory. It was located 1,090 miles from Honolulu with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph.

Meanwhile, in the eastern Pacific, Hurricane Gilma developed into a Category 3 storm as meteorologists also said a group of thunderstorms well off the coast of Mexico had the potential to intensify. Neither the hurricane nor the developing storms triggered coastal warnings or advisories, although some warned that Gilma could bring a barrage of treacherous weather conditions to Hawaii by the end of the month.

Across Hawaii, officials and residents kept a close watch on Hone as it rotated toward the state just over a year after a faraway hurricane contributed to the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in over a century .

Federal forecasters said Hone is expected to continue developing as it approaches and passes near Hawaii through the end of the weekend or early next week. "Interests in Hawaii should closely monitor this disturbance, though it remains too early to determine the exact location and magnitude of potential impacts," the hurricane center said.

Tropical storm raises multiple concerns as track remains uncertain

AccuWeather meteorologists said the potential impacts of Tropical Storm Hone will greatly depend on how close the system comes to the islands of Hawaii.

On its current track, the storm threatens to dump as much as 1 to 2 inches of rain on the islands while rainfall totals on the eastern side of Big Island and Maui could reach 2 to 4 inches, AccuWeather hurricane experts predicted . The rain will likely be welcomed by some as the Hawaiian Islands have been experiencing drought conditions this summer, which has led to "abnormally dry soil and brush ," AccuWeather forecasters said .

"Flooding rainfall could be a big issue if the system holds together and remains fairly strong," said Alex DaSilva, AccuWeather's lead hurricane expert .

But, if the storm brings little rain and unleashes powerful wind gusts, an all-too-familiar threat emerges: fast-spreading wildfires.

Just one year ago, strong winds from distant Hurricane Dora were a factor in fanning catastrophic wildfires on Maui, killing more than 100 people and destroying homes, cultural sites and businesses.

'You lost the community': Lahaina residents look for hope a year after the fires

Hone, the first named storm of the 2024 central Pacific hurricane season

Federal forecasters project somewhere between one to four tropical cyclones will form during the 2024 central Pacific hurricane season, below the average of four or five tropical cyclones, which include tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes.

In a statement, Matthew Rosencrans, the lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, said, “A key factor influencing our forecast is the predicted arrival of La Niña this summer, which typically contributes to less tropical cyclone activity across the central Pacific Ocean basin.”

The central Pacific hurricane season begins June 1 and runs through November 30, according to NOAA.

Gilma, a major hurricane, moves west through Pacific

Hurricane Gilma intensified into a Category 3 storm this week, leading some forecasters to warn of potential impacts across Hawaii if the storm remains intact and tracks toward the state.

Hurricane Gilma posed no immediate threat to land as it churned west-northwest across the open Pacific. And while the hurricane center's high seas forecast warned of increased wave height across the northeast Pacific, there were no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

On Thursday evening, the storm was located 1,060 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California and 1,980 miles east of Hilo, Hawaii, according to the hurricane center. Gilma had maximum sustained winds of 125 mph and was moving west-northwest at 7 mph.

The storm is forecast to maintain its strength through the weekend before possibly weakening as it enters cooler waters, DaSilva said. Even in a weakened state, however, Gilma could unleash thunderstorms, strong winds and rough seas across the Hawaiian Islands, AccuWeather said .

Forecasters track another system in the eastern Pacific

While experts are tracking the developments of Tropical Storm Hone and Hurricane Gilma, they are also monitoring another system in the Pacific.

Several hundred miles from the southwestern coast of Mexico, disorganized showers and thunderstorms could develop into a tropical depression late this week or over the weekend, according to the hurricane center. The storm is forecast to move northwestward into the central portion of the East Pacific, well offshore of Mexico.

As of Thursday evening, hurricane center forecasters said the storm had a 50% chance of forming in the next 48 hours and an 80% chance of forming over the next week.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tropical Storm Hone forms as it churns toward Hawaii, continues to strengthen