HONOLULU - Hurricane Olivia is expected to approach Hawaii in the coming days as either a high-end tropical storm or a low-end hurricane.
Central Pacific Hurricane Center meteorologist Maureen Ballard says Monday there's only a slight difference between the two, so people should prepare as though it will be a hurricane.
Olivia is currently 435 miles (700 kilometres) east of Hilo and moving 9 mph (15 km/h). It has maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h).
Forecasters are predicting Olivia may drop 10 to 15 inches (25 to 38 centimetres) of rain on the Big Island and Maui County, though some areas could get 20 inches (50 centimetres).
Oahu and Kauai are forecast to receive 3 to 6 inches (7 to 15 centimetres.)
