Hurricane Nolo Strengthens to Category 4 as It Passes Near Hawaii
A hurricane watch has been issued for parts of Hawaii as Nolo explodes into a major Category 4 storm as it makes its approach to the islands. Here is the latest on what Hawaii should expect in the hours and days ahead.
Hawaii Braces for Yet Another Hurricane
While Hurricane Nolo is expected to remain south and west of Hawaii, that does not mean that the islands will escape the storm's impacts. As of Monday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that Nolo was spinning about 410 miles to the southwest of Honolulu as it moves to the west-northwest, packing maximum sustained winds of 155 mph.
A hurricane watch is now in place for the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument from Nihoa to French Frigate Shoals. Although the center of the storm is not forecast to make landfall, Nolo will come within about 300 miles of Kauai by the middle of the week. This part of the island chain is still recovering from the impacts of Hurricane Lowell.
The latest forecast models suggest that Nolo will make a turn to the north in the coming days, taking it closer to Kauai and other westernmost regions of the state. The storm has already dumped heavy rain across large swaths of the Big Island and Maui. Several areas of the Big Island have notched over a foot of rain, including a top reading of 21.99 inches in Laupahoehoe. The northern fringe of Maui saw rainfall of over a foot in some places.
The western islands should prepare for rain to intensify on Tuesday and Wednesday. The forecast is calling for another 1 to 2 inches of rain at this time.
Strong Winds Could Trigger Widespread Power Outages
Winds will also ramp up beginning on Tuesday. Gusts are expected to reach up to 60 mph from Maui to Kauai. The higher elevations of these islands could see even stronger gusts. Winds of this magnitude are capable of causing minor structural damage and power outages.
It has been a brutal tropical weather season for Hawaii. A strengthening El Niño is to blame for the surge of activity when compared to historical averages. This climate phase has sent ocean water temperatures soaring, supporting the development of tropical weather features to take root and intensify.
Hurricane Lala hit the Big Island in mid-August, followed quickly by Tropical Storm Moke and Hurricane Lowell. Despite its location in the tropics, Hawaii is generally protected from severe weather of this magnitude. This makes this year's influx of severe weather more notable. The state typically does not even see one tropical weather event in a year, let alone the several that it has been dealing with this season.
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