Hurricane Iona was expected to move westward and does not pose any land threat to the Hawaiian Islands, forecasters said.

Andrew Austin-Adler, a student meteorologist specializing in tropical cyclones, said on X: "Strongest CPAC hurricane since WALAKA is inbound. Iona is on the fast track to reaching major hurricane strength - official forecast is 120mph which could be conservative."

Forecasters say Iona rapidly strengthened into a hurricane in the central Pacific Ocean and is expected to continue trekking toward the west over warm, open waters well south of Hawaii.