RapidScat sees Hurricane Hilda's strongest winds on northern side

The RapidScat instrument that flies aboard the International Space Station identified Hurricane Hilda's strongest winds on the northern side of the storm.

RapidScat measures surface winds over ocean areas, and identifying the location of the strongest winds is helpful to forecasters, mariners and populated areas near the storm.

RapidScat gathered wind speed and direction data on Hurricane Hilda on Aug. 10 at 1100 UTC (7 a.m. EDT). RapidScat measured strongest sustained winds north of the center at around 33 meters per second/73 mph/118.9 kph).

On August 11 at 0900 UTC (5 a.m. EDT/11 p.m. HST on Aug. 10), Hurricane Hilda's maximum sustained winds were near 90 mph (150 kph), but the Central Pacific Hurricane Center forecast calls for steady weakening over the next two days. Hilda forecast to weaken to a tropical storm by tonight, August 11. .

The center of Hurricane Hilda was located near latitude 17.1 north and .longitude 150.9 west. That's about 330 miles (530 km) east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii and about 540 miles (870 km) east-southeast of Honolulu Hawaii. Hilda was moving toward the northwest near 5 mph (7 kph) and is expected to turn to the west-northwest late on August 12. The estimated minimum central pressure is 981 millibars.

Hilda's effects are expected to include large ocean swells, and large and potentially life threatening surf along east and southeast facing shores of portions of the Hawaiian Islands over the next couple of days.

Hilda is expected to produce very heavy rain over portions of the Hawaiian Islands from Wednesday, August 12 into the weekend (August 15 and 16). These rains could cause life threatening flash floods and mudslides. For updated forecasts, visit CPHC: http://www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/cphc/