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Iselle was about 405 miles (652 km) east of Hilo
on the Island of Hawaii at about 11 p.m. Hawaiian Standard Time
on Wednesday (5:00 a.m. EDT)and heading west-northwest at 18
miles (30 km) per hour, with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph
(144 kph), the Central Pacific Hurricane Center said.
The center of Iselle was forecast to pass very near or over
Hawaii's Big Island on Thursday evening and pass just south of
the smaller islands on Friday, the CPHC said.
"Some weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours, but Iselle
is now expected to be a hurricane as it passes near or over the
Big Island," it said.
State officials warned of the potential for flash floods,
mudslides and power outages, and Governor Neil Abercrombie
signed an emergency proclamation, freeing up funds and other
resources, in anticipation of its arrival.
Residents were stocking up on basics as authorities in Honolulu
advised them to prepare seven-day disaster supply kits. Shoppers
waited in lines at supermarkets with carts full of bottled
water, batteries and nonperishable food.
Meanwhile Hurricane Julio, packing maximum sustained winds
nearly 100 miles per hour (155 km/h), with higher gusts, has
been upgraded to Category 2 status, the National Hurricane
Center said on Thursday.
Julio, which was moving west-northwest at about 17 mph (28
km/h), could continue to strengthen on Thursday but was forecast
to gradually weaken by late evening and into the weekend, the
center said.
(Writing by Eric M. Johnson; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Lisa
Von Ahn)
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