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Hurricane Jimena plowed across the Pacific with sustained winds of near 100 mph wind today, heading for a glancing blow on the Big Island of Hawaii with high wind, strong surf and heavy rain. The hurricane was less than 300 miles southeast of Hilo at 2 p.m. and moving westward about 20 mph, the National Weather Service said. The hurricane was slated to pass about 50 miles offshore from South Point, late tonight or early tomorrow.Jimena was expected to bring winds of 40 mph, with gusts to 60 mph, pouring 4 to 6 inches of rain and building surfs as...

<p>As Hurricane Jimena moves closer to the southern tip of Hawai'i, Big Island civil authorities are preparing for action and asking residents to do the same.</p> <p>In expectation of dangerous surf conditions, Hawai'i County Civil Defense closed beaches in Puna and Ka'u last night, and police were monitoring conditions from Kumukahi Point to South Point. Those steps were taken after the Central Pacific Hurricane Center issued a hurricane watch for the island.</p>

N and E Hawaii Incl Windward Kohala Hamakua Hilo and Puna FORECAST INFORMATION FOR North and East Hawaii including Windward Kohala Hamakua Hilo and Puna HURRICANE JIMENA LOCAL STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI 545 AM HST SUN AUG 31 2003 ...JIMENA EXPECTED TO PASS JUST SOUTH OF THE BIG ISLAND EARLY MONDAY MORNING BUT STILL BRING HIGH SURF...HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG WINDS TO PARTS OF THE BIG ISLAND... ...AREAS AFFECTED... THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS SPECIFIC ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY PERSONS ON THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII. ...WATCHES WARNINGS... A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE BIG ISLAND OF...