Ana close to hurricane strength

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Tropical Storm Ana is close to becoming a hurricane as it moves toward the Big Island, forecasters said Wednesday morning.

Tropical Storm Ana is close to becoming a hurricane as it moves toward the Big Island, forecasters said Wednesday morning.

An 11 a.m. update from the National Weather Service said the storm had maximum sustained winds of 70 mph. Ana would become a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 74 mph.

The storm was 625 miles southeast of Hilo, 680 miles southeast of Kailua-Kona, and 635 miles east-southeast of South Point.

Ana is expected to pass just shy of South Point on Saturday as a hurricane.