Hurricane Kiko, currently located about halfway between southern Mexico and Hawaii, could be steered close to or over the Hawaiian Islands by the middle of next week and may make a rare landfall, AccuWeather meteorologists warn.

As of Wednesday midday local time, Hurricane Kiko was about 1,650 miles east of Hilo, Hawaii, drifting west at 7 mph. Kiko was a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph.

“Kiko is forecast to intensify into a major hurricane of at least Category 3 strength (111–129 mph) this week as it tracks west toward Hawaii,” AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said. “The storm is in an environment with warm water and limited disruptive winds.”

Kiko could briefly reach Category 4 (130–156 mph) or Categ

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