Hurricane Kiko holds steady as a Category 4 storm
(NBC, KYMA/KECY) - Hurricane Kiko held steady at a Category 4 as it entered the Central Pacific Basin Saturday.
The National Hurricane Center said the storm has maximum sustained winds of 130 mile-per-hour with higher gusts.
As of Saturday morning, it was located about 1,065 miles east-southeast of Hilo, or 1,265 miles east-southeast of Honolulu, and was moving to the west-northwest at 10 miles per hour.
While Kiko is expected to gradually weaken over the next several days, impacts from rain and wind remain a possibility, and swells generated by the storm are expected to begin reaching the Big Island and Maui by Sunday, potentially producing life-threatening surf and rip currents.
"Even at the tropical storm level, I mean you're talking up to 75 mph of wind, right. That could be very damaging, right. Power outages, flooding could occur as well at that time, damaging surf. You know, right now it looks like East Hawaii tends to take the brunt of it, so we're kinda keeping an eye there, but all of our departments and our nonprofits all on standby, ready when we make the call.
Monday morning, we'll invite our cabinet to the emergency operations center. We have our director share with us some updates. We'll probably get updates from HIEMA at that point. Monday morning will tell the tale."
Kimo Alameda, Hawaii County Mayor
