Tropical Storm Hone prompts warnings for Hawaii's Big Island

Tropical Storm Hone swirled closer to Hawaii’s Big Island on Saturday with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, forecasters said.

The center of Hone was around 290 miles east-southeast of Hilo Saturday morning and was moving west at 15 mph.

Tropical Storm Hone is forecast to pass near or south of the island Saturday night into early Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said.

A tropical storm warning was issued for Hawaii County, and swells could cause life-threatening surf and rip currents across the island chain on Saturday, the agency said.

Residents on Hawaii’s Big Island could see 5 to 10 inches of rain, the hurricane center said in Saturday morning advisory. 

Hawaii's Emergency Management Agency issued a "red flag" warning Friday for leeward areas of all islands on Saturday because high winds could contribute to the risk of wildfires.

There's a hurricane to the east of Hone which is also heading in the direction of the Hawaiian Islands, but it is forecast to become a tropical depression while still in the sea east of the state. There are no coastal watches or warnings in place because of that storm, named Hurricane Gilma.

Phil Helsel

Phil Helsel is a reporter for NBC News.