Walaka racing toward Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, still a Cat 4 hurricane

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Hurricane Walaka is still a dangerous Category 4 storm as it races toward the Papahanaumokua Marine National Monument in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands.

Walaka's latest forecast track from the Central Pacific Hurricane Center.(NOAA)

The Central Pacific Hurricane Center said at 5 a.m. Wednesday that Walaka was packing maximum sustained winds near 140 miles per hour with higher gusts.

Forecasters said the hurricane is moving to the north-northeast at 17 miles per hour. It was already 200 miles north of Johnston Island, where a hurricane warning was discontinued Wednesday morning.

Four U.S. scientists were evacuated from the wildlife refuge and former U.S. military base.

Track Walaka at the HNN Hurricane Center

Walaka is still a massive storm. Hurricane force winds extend 45 miles from the center, while tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 205 miles.

Coast Guard working to evacuate scientists from atoll in path of Hurricane Walaka

While Hurricane Walaka is not expected to have a direct impact on Hawaii weather, forecast models show a rain band trailing from the cyclone late in the week that could come close to Kauai.

There’s also a chance that it will draw more tropical moisture from the south.