Hurricane Hone passes south of Hawaii’s Big Island as Category 1 storm as heat hits 25 million Americans

Hurricane Hone moved south of the Big Island of Hawaii late Saturday as a weak Category 1 storm with winds of 75 mph.

The storm was expected to roughly maintain its status Sunday and Monday, teetering on the thin line between tropical storm and hurricane. Hurricanes have sustained winds of 74 mph or more.

Hone is moving west at 12 mph and is currently located 105 miles south of Hilo, Hawaii, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The hurricane-force winds reached only about 15 miles from the eye of the storm, meaning that only tropical storm conditions are expected on the Big Island. Tropical storm-force winds reached up to 125 miles.

As Hone approached Hawaii, a tropical storm warning was issued. That warning remained in effect for Hawaii County around 11 p.m. Saturday, weather officials said.

While the storm is not expected to directly impact the islands, it is still close enough to have some potentially dangerous impacts. The Big Island is likely to experience tropical storm conditions overnight and early Sunday, especially at higher elevations and on mountain passes.

The Big Island is expected to receive 6 to 12 inches of rain – particularly near the windward and southeastern slopes – and is under a flash flood warning. The smaller islands are expected to receive 2 to 4 inches of rain.

Hawaii is also affected by life-threatening surf and current conditions.

Heat warning for 25 million Americans

Sweltering heat will continue across much of the Southern Plains this weekend, but the heat in Texas will ease somewhat as the weekend progresses.

The extreme heat will move north over the next few days, crossing the central Plains and reaching the upper Midwest.

An extreme heat warning is in effect for parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin, including Minneapolis, on Sunday and Monday.

In several cities in the lowlands and Midwest, the heat index could reach 43 degrees on Sunday and Monday.

From early to mid-next week, extreme heat will move east, reaching the Great Lakes and the South by Tuesday and Wednesday.

Cities such as Chicago, Louisville and Atlanta could see record temperatures of 35 to 38 degrees Celsius by the middle of next week.