Major Hurricane Iona continues to strengthen south of Hawaii with Tropical Storm Keli close behind
According to the National Hurricane Center, Iona is expected to continue strengthening Tuesday before beginning to weaken Wednesday. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Keli, which formed late Monday morning, is several hundred miles north and east of Hurricane Iona.
Hurricane Iona rapidly intensifies with tropical storm Kelli behind it
Iona is the first named storm of 2025 in the Central Pacific and is currently a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale according to the National Hurricane Center.
HONOLULU – Hurricane Iona is continuing to gain strength as a major storm hundreds of miles southeast of Honolulu, as Tropical Storm Keli follows on Iona's heels several hundred miles to its east in the Central Pacific Ocean.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Iona's maximum sustained winds reached 125 mph on Tuesday, just shy of the 131-mph threshold for a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
Hurricane Iona is currently located roughly 735 miles southeast of Honolulu. It is moving west at 14 mph and does not pose any threat to land.
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Iona quickly strengthened into a hurricane Monday morning.
According to the NHC, it is expected to continue strengthening before beginning to weaken on Wednesday.
Iona is the first hurricane in the Central Pacific Basin this season and the first July hurricane in the basin since Darby in 2022.
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The NHC said Hurricane Iona is expected to stay well south of the Hawaiian Islands.
Tropical Storm Keli holding steady as it follows Hurricane Iona's trail
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Keli, which formed Monday, is several hundred miles north and east of Hurricane Iona.
Keli's maximum sustained winds are 40 mph, and it is situated roughly 790 miles southeast of Hawaii.
Keli is following a similar track to Iona and does not pose any threat to land.
(FOX Weather)
Unlike Iona, the forecast calls for Keli to maintain tropical storm strength through midweek before weakening to a tropical depression.
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Neither Iona nor Keli are expected to have any impacts on Hawaii outside of some enhanced wave heights.