Jimena Weakens, Moves NW Slowly East of Hawai’i

Hurricane Jimena has continued to weaken as it slowly moves towards the northwest, far east of the state. As of Friday morning’s 5 a.m. Central Pacific Hurricane Center update, Jimena was about 650 miles east of Hilo.

CPHC reports that Hurricane Jimena was struggling in an increasingly hostile environment early Friday morning. Wind shear, along wih very dry conditions, are helping the degradation of Jimena.

Hurricane Jimena is in an area of weak steering that is expected to continue through Friday night. Jimena is currently holding maximum sustained winds of 85 miles per hour and moving in a northwest direction at 5 mph. Forecasters believe Jimena will speed up towards the north-northwest on Saturday and Sunday and eventually turn west on Monday and Tuesday.