5am Hurricane Norman Update

Norman strengthened to a major hurricane overnight as it continues on a track west toward the Hawaii Islands.

Packing maximum sustained winds of 115 mph, Norman was about 480 miles east of Hilo and 670 miles east of Honolulu and heading west at 12 mph at 5 a.m. today, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center.

This general motion is expected to continue through this morning. Norman is expected to slow its forward motion slightly, and turn toward the west-northwest later today and tonight. A turn toward the northwest is expected Thursday and Thursday night.

Norman is now a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some fluctuations in intensity are possible today, followed by gradual weakening from tonight through Thursday night. Norman is expected to remain a hurricane through Thursday.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from Norman’s center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles.