Hurricane Iona forms after rapidly strengthening in the central Pacific Ocean, no threat to Hawaii

This image shows the forecast path for Hurricane Iona. Source: National Hurricane Center

Iona rapidly strengthened into a hurricane Monday morning in the central Pacific Ocean and is expected to continue trekking toward the west over warm, open waters well south of Hawaii.

Iona emerged Sunday from a tropical depression and was about 895 miles (1,440 kilometres) southeast of Honolulu, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said. So far, the system poses no threat to Hawaii.

No coastal watches or warnings were in effect. Iona is expected to strengthen more over the next couple of days before weakening around the middle of the week.

The hurricane has maximum sustained winds of about 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h). It was moving in a generally westward direction at about 10 m.p.h. (17 km/h).

Iona is the first named storm of the hurricane season in the central Pacific.

A second weather system has also formed in the central Pacific. Tropical Depression Two-C is located about 1,140 miles (1,840 kilometres) east-southeast of Honolulu. Maximum sustained winds are around 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and expected to strengthen.