Hurricane Douglas could strengthen into Category 3, hit Hawaii on Sunday

Hurricane Douglas could strengthen into a Category 3 storm and may hit Hawaii by Sunday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Wednesday. 

“Douglas is expected to move near or over portions of the Hawaiian Islands this weekend, and there is an increasing chance that strong winds and heavy rainfall could affect portions of the state beginning on Sunday,” the NHC said in an update Wednesday morning. 

The storm had strengthened into a Category 1 storm Wednesday morning, but NHC said additional strengthening is expected over the next day or two, causing Douglas to possibly develop into a Category 3 or higher storm, CNN reported. 

Douglas has hurricane-force winds extending outward up to 10 miles from the center, and tropical storm-force winds extending outward of up to 105 miles, according to CNN. 

The storm was about 1,690 miles east of Hilo, Hawaii as of 11 a.m. Wednesday, CNN reported, citing the National Hurricane Center.