Hurricane Kiko weakened further as it churned on a path that will take it north of Hawaii, staying clear of the archipelago but still threatening the islands with possible "life-threatening surf and rip currents."
On Sept. 8, Kiko was downgraded to a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph, according to an 11 a.m. advisory from the National Hurricane Center in Miami. The storm was located 410 miles east of Hilo, Hawaii, and was moving west-northwest at 15 mph.
Last week, the hurricane hit Category 4 strength, but it has steadily weakened in recent days as it encountered cooler waters and wind shear. It's expected to continue losing strength and could be downgraded to a tropical storm by late day on Sept. 8, forecasters said.
Still, Kiko could bring life-threatening surf and rip currents to the islands as it passes north of Hawaii beginning Sept. 9. Dangerous conditions from the building swells will be concentrated along the eastern shores of the islands, forecasters said.
The state of Hawaii issued an emergency declaration last week, an administrative action government agencies often take before tropical storms, hurricanes and other impending weather disasters. Such declarations pave the way for emergency measures and resources that allow officials to respond quickly during emergencies.
