The Kilauea volcano has been erupting continuously since May 3, as lava continues to flow from fissure 8 on its eastern flank, which has covered 13.4 square miles of the island’s surface.
More than 700 homes and properties have been destroyed with thousands of people being forced to leave the area.
The current eruption is the longest non-stop eruption on record from Kilauea’s lower East Rift Zone.
So far, Kilauea’s eruption has been ongoing for 93 days straight and more than two dozen volcanic fissures have opened up.
The eruption has surpassed eruptions from the lower zone of several weeks and 88 days recorded in 1840 and 1955, respectively, according to Janet Babb, a geologist with the US Geological Survey.
Hurricanes and volcanoes are often active in similar areas, especially in the basin of the Pacific Ocean known as the Ring of Fire.
Hawaii residents have now been urged to take precaution and prepare for the oncoming storm, with Hurricane Hector expected to hit this week.
Tom Travis, Hawaii’s emergency management administrator, said: “Hector is our first hurricane this year. We want to remind the public we are in the middle of the hurricane season and we urged people to take the weekend to prepare their homes and families for impacts that could be felt statewide.”
Hurricane Hector has been upgraded to a category 4 storm early on Monday morning as the swirling vortex travelled towards the Hawaiian Islands.
The National Hurricane Centre (NHC) said Hurricane Hector is recording sustained winds of 140mph, which are capable of causing devastating damage to populated areas.
Hector is currently about 1,130 miles (1,820km) east of South Point, Hawaii, and is forecast to cross into the central Pacific today.
The NHC said: “A motion toward the west-northwest at an increased forward speed is expected through Monday night, followed by a westward motion Tuesday and Wednesday.
“On the forecast track, Hector will cross into the central Pacific basin during the next several hours.
“Some fluctuations in intensity are expected tonight and Monday. After that, gradual weakening is forecast Monday night through Wednesday.”
Hurricane Hector’s current trajectory puts the hurricane on a virtual collision course with Kilauea on the southern part of the island.
Hector is expected to hit Hawaii’s Big Island late on Wednesday morning.
However, it was unclear whether the hurricane would hit or just brush by the southern edge of the Big Island, a meteorologist at the National Service’s Weather Prediction Centre in College Park Maryland.
Scientists have said there is a great deal of uncertainty over how hurricanes and volcanoes might interact, including whether low atmospheric pressure from a major cyclone could help trigger an eruption, and much remains unknown on the subject.
CNN meteorologist Haley Brink said it was too early to tell if the hurricane would trigger an eruption of Kilauea.
She said on Sunday morning: “The track of the hurricane still has the centre passing well south of the main Hawaiian island at this time.
“It is still too soon to tell what effects this hurricane will have (if any) on the Hawaii islands.”