The risk of direct impacts from Hurricane Kiko decreased Monday as the tropical cyclone showed signs it would pass to the north of the Hawaiian Islands, forecasters said.
Kiko weakened to a Category 1 hurricane and was expected to lose intensity throughout the day, according to an early-morning advisory issued by the National Hurricane Center.
With maximum sustained winds around 85 mph, Kiko was centered roughly 350 miles east-northeast of Hilo, Hawaiʻi, and about 515 miles east of Honolulu.
The hurricane was traveling west-northwest at 15 mph.
Kiko could still send large swells to eastern-facing shores in the island chain, with possible life-threatening surf and rip currents, forecasters said.
The risk of direct impacts were decreasing and no watches or warnings were in effect; however, people in Hawaiʻi were advised to monitor the hurricane’s progress.
Hurricanes are ranked using the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which rates hurricanes with categories 1 through 5. Cyclones that are Category 3 or higher are considered major hurricanes.
Hurricane Kiko had been previously classified as a Category 4 storm.
