Tropical Storm Iona has formed in the central Pacific Ocean and is moving westward over warm open waters well south of Hawaii. The storm developed from a tropical depression on Sunday and is currently located about 915 miles southeast of Honolulu, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. While Iona is expected to strengthen into a hurricane by Monday night, it does not pose any threat to Hawaii at this time, and no coastal watches or warnings have been issued.
Iona’s maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph as it moves west at about 12 mph. This marks the first named storm of the hurricane season in the central Pacific region. Forecasters predict the storm will begin to weaken by Tuesday as it continues its path over the ocean.