Hurricane Fausto intensified into a Category 2 storm over the Pacific Ocean and is projected to approach the Hawaiian Islands next week, according to forecasters.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami stated Friday that the risk of impacts from wind and rainfall in the Hawaiian Islands is growing, though the exact location and magnitude remain uncertain. Fausto was approximately 1,300 miles (2,090 kilometers) west of the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula and about 1,600 miles (2,575 kilometers) east of Hilo, Hawaii. At that time, its maximum sustained winds were near 100 mph (161 kph).
Swells generated by Fausto could also lead to life-threatening surf and rip currents along parts of the Southern California coast. Concurrently, Tropical Storm Bertha dissipated along the Gulf Coast after bringing heavy surf and some flooding to Louisiana and Texas.