MIAMI -- Tropical Storm Iona formed in the central Pacific and is expected to continue trekking toward the west over warm, open waters well south of Hawaii.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Iona emerged Sunday from a tropical depression about 960 miles (1,545 kilometers) southeast of Honolulu. The storm is expected to strengthen further in coming days but currently poses no threat to Hawaii. No coastal watches or warnings are in effect.

The system gained tropical storm status with maximum sustained winds of about 40 mph (64 kph). It was moving in a generally westward direction at about 10 mph (16 kph).

Iona is the first named storm of the hurricane season in the central Pacific.