Tropical storm Gil turns into hurricane, urgent alert issued for Hawaii-bound tourists and California; Check tracker

Tropical Storm Gil turns into hurricane: Travelers to Hawaii have been advised to exercise caution. Experts have warned that it may reach California soon.

Updated on: Aug 2, 2025, 21:32:08 IST

By Shweta Kukreti

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A tropical storm has quickly intensified into Hurricane Gil off the US coast, prompting warnings for travelers heading to Hawaii to exercise caution.

According to forecasters, Hurricane Gil is currently centered around 1,000 miles southwest of the Baja California peninsula in Mexico, with sustained winds of up to 75 mph (120 kph).

Gil was promptly elevated to hurricane status after initially being categorized as a tropical storm.

Hawaii authorities issue fire hazard alerts

With considerable forward momentum, experts caution that it may reach California as early as today. During the passage of Tropical Storm Iona and another adjacent meteorological system, authorities in Hawaii have issued fire hazard alerts.

Earlier, the Honolulu National Weather Service said: “A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and dry fuels can contribute to extreme fire behavior. Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.”

The hurricane center predicted that the storm will continue to weaken throughout the weekend. As early as Sunday, the post-tropical season will begin.

It was predicted to persist into the weekend at a speed of about 20 mph in a west-northwest direction. The system is expected to move westward more slowly by Monday.

According to a hurricane center bulletin, Tropical Depression Iona, which is located more than 1,400 miles west of Honolulu, continued to deteriorate as it approached the International Date Line on Saturday.

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Tropical storm Gil hurricane tracker

Click on this to see USA Today's Tropical storm Gil hurricane tracker, which displays the storm center's most likely route. Up to 33% of the time, the storm's center is likely to move beyond the cone, and thus does not depict the storm's entire width or its effects.

How to get ready for hurricanes

NOAA advises people to get their insurance checkup early because flood insurance has a 30-day waiting period. Moreover, they should acquire emergency supplies while the shelves are still filled.

People in the impacted areas should develop a family communication plan.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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