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Hurricane Douglas has come the first hurricane of the season in the Central Pacific, and it’s only gaining strength as it heads toward Hawaii, according to the National Hurricane Center.
What’s happening:
- Hurricane Douglas has become a major storm with 120 miles per hour winds, looking to hit Hawaii this weekend.
- However, the hurricane — though gaining steam in the Pacific Ocean — will weaken once it reaches Hawaii.
- The storm is a Category 3, which is considered a major hurricane, Fox News reports
- Hawaii could see strong winds and flash flooding from the storm.
- Fox News said: “Any part of the state could be affected, but it remains too early to know its precise path.”
This is fairly common
- Phil Klotzbach, a research scientist at Colorado State University, told CNN that hurricanes develop in the Pacific but will die down. Reports suggested strong storms like this one lose strength because of cooler waters near the islands.
- “It is fairly common for hurricanes to track towards Hawaii, but they usually dissipate or at least weaken considerably before impacting the islands. For example, both Lane and Olivia impacted Hawaii in 2018. Also, in 2016, both Lester and Madeline threatened Hawaii.”
- The storm will be likely “bring wind, rain and dangerous surf to Hawaii by the weekend, although it may be downgraded to a tropical storm by the time it reaches the islands,” per CNN.