Big Island under tropical storm warning

The National Weather Service has posted a tropical storm warning for Hawaii County and a watch for Maui County as Tropical Storm Darby continues its path toward the islands.

A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area within 36 hours.

As of 5 a.m. Friday, Darby was about 390 miles east of Hilo with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph with locally higher gusts. The storm was moving west at 12 miles an hour with tropical storm-force winds extending outward up to 115 miles from the storm’s center.

Little change in the storm’s strength is forecast through Sunday.

Tropical storm-force winds are expected over the Big Island and are possible over portions of Maui County on Saturday.

Heavy rains associated with Darby are expected to reach the Big Island and portions of Maui county late Friday, potentially impacting the remainder of the state Saturday. These rains could cause life-threatening flash floods as well as rock and mud slides.

Surf swells generated by Darby are expected to impact the Hawaiian Islands over the next couple of days, possibly becoming damaging along some coastlines today and Saturday.

An update from the National Weather Service is expected at 11 a.m. today.