Tropical Storm Hector forms in eastern Pacific, U.S. National Hurricane Center says

Hurricane Hone passed just south of Hawaii on Sunday, dumping so much rain that the U.S National Weather Service called off its red flag warnings that strong winds could lead to wildfires on the drier sides of the islands.

Meanwhile, the eastern Pacific saw a new threat emerge as Tropical Storm Hector formed, packing top sustained winds of 72 kph. There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect as Hector churned far out at sea, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

Hone had top winds of 137 kph on Sunday morning as it swirled slowly past the Big Island, centered about 72 kilometers off its southernmost point, according to Jon Jelsema, a senior forecaster at the U.S. Central Pacific Hurricane Center. He said tropical storm force winds were blowing across the island's southeast-facing slopes, carrying up to 30 centimeters or more of rain.

Floods closed Highway 11 between Kona and Hilo, and a higher-altitude alternative, the Cane Road, was closed by flooding as well, isolating properties like the Aikane Plantation Coffee Co. outside Pahala, where owner Phil Becker said his 25-centimeter rain gauge overflowed in the deluge.

Hurricane Gilma, meanwhile, weakened to a still-major Category 3 hurricane Saturday night, but it was far east of Hawaii and forecast to weaken into a depression before it reaches the islands.

Shelters were opened as Hurricane Hone blew in and beach parks on the eastern side of the Big Island were closed due to dangerously high surf, Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth said.

Jelsema offered a vivid metaphor for the rainfall: "As the rain gets pushed up the mountain terrain it wrings it out, kind of like wringing out a wet towel," he said.

"It's been really soaking those areas, there’s been flooding of roads. Roads have been cut off by high flood waters there in the windward sections of the big island, and really that's the only portion of the state that's had much flooding concern at this point," he said.

Hone, whose name is Hawaiian for "sweet and soft," poked at memories still fresh of last year's deadly blazes on Maui, which were fueled by hurricane-force winds. Red flag alerts are issued when warm temperatures, very low humidity and stronger winds combine to raise fire dangers. Most of the archipelago is already abnormally dry or in drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.