Hurricane Fausto is moving toward Hawaii: 3 things to know
Hurricane Fausto is the hurricane tropical storm forecast to weaken and pass north of Hawaii early next week on Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing high surf and dangerous rip currents as the main threats rather than a direct hit on land. The National Hurricane Center says the risk of sustained tropical-force winds on land should stay low if the track remains north of the islands.
Key Takeaways
- Fausto was a Category 2 hurricane with 100 mph winds about 1,060 miles from Hilo as of Saturday evening, moving west at 13 mph.
- Forecasters expect it to enter the Central Pacific as a Category 1 hurricane, then pass north of Oahu Wednesday as a weak tropical storm near 45 mph.
- Only Kauai and Niihau remained in the latest cone of uncertainty for a possible direct hit.
- High surf and dangerous rip currents are the top expected impacts, with swells building on east-facing shores starting Sunday.
- No coastal watches or warnings were in effect, but officials urge residents to keep monitoring updates.
Where is Hurricane Fausto headed, and when will it pass?
According to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, citing National Hurricane Center data as of 5 p.m. Saturday, Fausto was centered about 1,060 miles from Hilo and moving west at 13 mph.
Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 50 miles from the center, and tropical storm-force winds reached up to 185 miles. Gradual weakening was expected to begin soon, with the cyclone entering the Central Pacific early Sunday as a Category 1 hurricane.
The storm is then forecast to pass north of Oahu on Wednesday as a weak tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of about 45 mph. AP News similarly reported Fausto continuing toward the Hawaiian Islands while expected to be downgraded to a tropical storm in the coming days.
Will Hawaii face a direct hit from Fausto?
The latest five-day forecast map had only Kauai and Niihau in the cone of uncertainty, meaning other islands were no longer threatened with a possible direct hit, the Star-Advertiser reported.
Hurricane center forecasters said that based on the predicted sheared nature of the storm, the risk of sustained tropical-force winds on land should be low as long as the forecast track stays north of the islands. Interests in Hawaii should continue to monitor the latest forecast updates.
The National Weather Service in Honolulu also warned that subtle shifts in track or intensity could still change island-by-island impacts, so close attention over the next few days remains important. For more weather and science coverage, see our Future Tech & AI Wonders hub.
What impacts should Hawaii expect from the storm?
Forecasters said Fausto’s biggest impact on the islands is expected to be surf. Confidence is high that swells generated by Fausto will reach Hawaii well ahead of the cyclone, producing increasing surf and dangerous rip currents.
Surf is expected to begin building across east-facing shores of the eastern end of the state on Sunday, spreading westward Sunday night into Monday, and continue building through Tuesday as Fausto approaches. Life-threatening surf and rip current conditions are possible.
As the storm draws closer, strong winds of around 40 mph, with stronger gusts, may develop near and north of the low center, and heavy rain is possible from Tuesday through Wednesday. Separately, a high surf advisory was already in effect for south shores through 6 a.m. Sunday due to a different south swell, with large breaking waves of 7 to 10 feet.