Julio down to Category 2 storm as Iselle lingers
By JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER and AUDREY McAVOY, Associated Press
Aug 8, 2014 2:34 PM CDT
Julio down to Category 2 storm as Iselle lingers
In preparation for heavy winds, workers at the Hale Koa Hotel remove an awning from an outdoor stage in Honolulu on Friday, Aug, 8, 2014. Iselle came ashore early Friday as a weakened tropical storm, while Hurricane Julio, close behind it, strengthened and is forecasted to pass north of the islands....   (Associated Press)

HONOLULU (AP) — Hurricane Julio has been downgraded to a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph and is predicted to miss the Hawaiian islands by about 200 miles.

National Weather Service officials say the storm, which is about 900 miles east of Hawaii, is expected to continue to weaken as it approaches cooler waters in the Pacific.

That's good news for the island chain dealing with strong winds and heavy rain from Tropical Storm Iselle, which hit the Big Island early Friday.

Coffee farmers on the Big Island are out navigating flooded roads to assess damage to crops, while tourists around Honolulu are back out on the streets and surfers took to the waves.

While Julio's path could still change, experts remained optimistic.

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