Hurricane Linda weakened slightly Monday as it continued its trek westward to the Hawaiian Islands.
The Category 2 hurricane was packing 100 mph winds as it moved west at 9 mph Monday evening just under 2,000 miles east-southeast of Hilo. Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 35 miles from the center.
Very gradual weakening is forecast over the next several days, though the hurricane could see some restrengthening Tuesday as it encounters warmer waters. Linda is expected to remain a hurricane through Wednesday before reaching cooler waters, triggering a “pronounced weakening trend.”
By Thursday morning, Linda is expected to be a tropical storm about 1,300 miles east-southeast of the state. By Saturday, the tropical cyclone will likely be downgraded to a post-tropical remnant low.
The National Weather Service’s Central Pacific Hurricane Warning Center predicted a below-average hurricane season this year.
Two to five tropical cyclones — a category that includes depressions, storms and hurricanes — were expected to pass through the basin this year. The 2021 season started June 1 and runs through Nov. 30, though tropical cyclones have formed outside that period.