Andrew Austin-Adler, a student meteorologist specializing in tropical cyclones, said on X: "Strongest CPAC hurricane since WALAKA is inbound. Iona is on the fast track to reaching major hurricane strength - official forecast is 120mph which could be conservative."

Hurricane Iona was expected to move westward and does not pose any land threat to the Hawaiian Islands, forecasters said.

A major hurricane is churning in the Pacific Ocean several hundred miles away from Hawaii. The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Tuesday that Hurricane Iona is one of two major weather systems in the ocean but poses no threat to the islands.