Hawaii keeps watch on Hurricane Kiko with models showing near miss

The Brief

In Hawaii, eyes are on Hurricane Kiko, but some models suggest it will be a near miss.

Hurricane Kiko intensified with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph as it traveled west over open waters about 1,740 miles east of Hilo, Hawaii, the hurricane center said.

Dig deeper:

Kiko was a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which ranges from 1 to 5. Cyclones that are Category 3 or higher are considered "major" hurricanes.

Why you should care:

No watches or warnings were associated with Kiko, and there were no hazards affecting land, forecasters said. Steady strengthening was expected during the next couple of days, and Kiko could be a major hurricane by Wednesday.

Forecast models suggest that the cyclone will make its closest approach to Hawaii late ne