(ABOVE) The latest 5 day track for Iselle shows a direct hit on Hawaii Island late Thursday night.

ABOVE: Hawaii County Civil Defense Message (Aug. 5, 2014 at 5:18 p.m.)

HILO, Hawaii – Iselle has weakened somewhat, but with maximum sustained winds near 100 mph, the storm is still a Category Two Hurricane. Iselle is presently 905 miles east of Hilo, and is moving toward the west-northwest near 13 mph. Hawaii County is under a Tropical Storm Watch.

This motion is expected to continue during the next 48 hours, with some increase in forward speed as Iselle approaches Hawaii. On the forecast track, the center of Iselle will be approaching the Big Island Thursday afternoon.

Maximum sustained winds are near 100 mph, 155 km/h, with higher gusts. Additional weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and Iselle is expected to become a tropical storm by Thursday.

Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 30 miles, 45 km, from the center, and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 115 miles, 185 km.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 977 mb, 28.85 inches.National Weather Service at 5 p.m. HST

Hawaii County Civil Defense has issued a new alert, listing shelters that will be open. The Hawaii DOE has already issued a list of school closures for Thursday.