SUMMARY OF 500 PM HST...0300 UTC...INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------- LOCATION...18.2N 141.2W ABOUT 915 MI...1470 KM E OF HILO HAWAII ABOUT 1105 MI...1780 KM E OF HONOLULU HAWAII MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...120 MPH...195 KM/H PRESENT MOVEMENT...W OR 280 DEGREES AT 14 MPH...22 KM/H MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...959 MB...28.32 INCHES DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK ------------------------------ At 500 PM HST (0300 UTC), the center of Hurricane Lester was located near latitude 18.2 North, longitude 141.2 West. Lester is moving toward the west near 14 mph (22 km/h), and this general west or west-northwest motion is expected to continue for the next 48 hours with little change in forward speed. Maximum sustained winds are near 120 mph (195 km/h) with higher gusts. Lester is a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles (55 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles.