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Dreamy Hawaii could become a nightmare

Hawaii is facing an increasing probability of a direct impact by an extremely powerful, but weakening, Hurricane Lane by the end of the week.

HOUSTON — Dreaming of Hawaii? Your dream may become a nightmare if you're heading to the island archipelago. Those gracefully swaying palm trees may be violently bent over in the wind if the forecast track shifts any further east.

As of 8 a.m. CST Tuesday, Hurricane Lane had winds in excess of 150 mph, just shy of category five strength and moving west at 21 mph.

Hawaii is often seen as 'fools gold' to hurricane chasers. While it would seem like the state would lay in the path of central Pacific hurricanes, conditions in this part of the world are rarely favorable for intense hurricanes -- although they have happened. A famous example is Hurricane Iniki in 1992 that made a direct impact on the island of Kauai during the filming of the blockbuster hit 'Jurassic Park.'

Currently there are no hurricane watches for the island chain but a tropical storm watch is in effect for the southwest coastal waters of the big island.

The entire State of Hawaii does lie in the cone of uncertainty. Even though the direct path of the eye may miss the state all together, erosion, rip currents and heavy rain still pose a threat. Any deviation in the path to the east would put Hawaii in the direct path of the hurricane.

If you're plans take you to the island paradise, definitely keep an eye on the weather and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center for the latest.

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