UPDATED AUG. 7, 2018 AT 11:04 PM
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Storm watch in effect as Hurricane Hector nears Hawaii
Aug. 7 (UPI) - Hawaii's Big Island will begin feeling gusty winds and rain Tuesday as Hurricane Hector approaches, the National Hurricane Center said.
The center of the storm was 410 miles east-southeast of South Point and 615 miles east-southeast of Honolulu, the NHC said in its 2 p.m. HST update. The storm was traveling west at 17 mph and had 130 mph maximum sustained winds.
The Category 4 hurricane was expected to pass less than 200 miles south of the Big Island on Wednesday, the National Weather Service said.
However, a deviation to the north of the forecast track could bring tropical storm force winds to the Big Island late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
Potential impacts could include hazardous winds, flooding rain and other coastal hazards, forecasters said.
Still, the National Hurricane Center issued a tropical storm watch Monday for parts of the Big Island, including Hawaii County, where Kilauea Volcano has destroyed more than 700 structures in three months.
The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency advised residents to prepare an emergency kit that includes at least a 14-day supply of food, water and other necessities.
