Hurricane Darby moved over the Central Pacific Ocean on Thursday morning. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Hurricane Darby was located at latitude 16.6°N and longitude 140.9°W which put it about 955 miles (1540 km) east of Hilo, Hawaii. Darby was moving toward the west-northwest at 16 m.p.h. (26 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 105 m.p.h. (165 km/h) and and there were wind gusts to 125 m.p.h. (200 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 977 mb.

Hurricane Darby moved west of longitude 140°W west on Thursday morning which meant that it crossed from the Eastern North Pacific basin to the Central Pacific. A small eye persisted at the center of Darby’s circulation. The eye was surrounded by a ring of strong thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Storms near the center of circulation generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane. The circulation around Hurricane Darby was small. Winds to hurricane force extended out 20 miles (30 km) from the center of Darby. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 45 miles (75 km) from the center of circulation.

Hurricane Darby will move into an environment unfavorable for intensification during the next 36 hours. Darby will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 26˚C. An upper level trough located to the northwest of Hurricane Darby will produce southwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Darby’s circulation. Those winds will cause the vertical wind shear to increase. More wind shear will cause Hurricane Darby to weaken. Since the circulation around Hurricane Darby is so small, the vertical wind shear could cause Darby to weaken quickly.

Hurricane Darby will move around the southern side of a high pressure system over the Central Pacific Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Darby toward the west during the next 36 hours. On its anticipated track Hurricane Darby could be southeast of Hawaii by Saturday. Darby is forecast to be much weaker by that time.