HILO, Hawaii – Hawaii is bracing for a weekend of torrential rain, dangerous winds, flash flooding and massive surf as Hurricane Nolo approaches islands still rebuilding after earlier storms.
Nolo was moving slowly south of Hawaii’s Big Island on Saturday, carrying maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (165 kph). The hurricane’s center was roughly 145 miles (235 kilometers) south of the state’s southernmost point, and forecasters said it could intensify into a potentially catastrophic and life-threatening system over the weekend.
Officials warned that flooding and mudslides could develop, with some areas of the Big Island forecast to receive as much as 20 inches (51 centimeters) of rain. Significant rainfall was also expected across Hawaii’s other islands.
“Don’t venture out if you don’t have to into the dangerous flooding environment, but also high winds. We can have trees and power lines down,” Michael Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center, said Friday.
As the storm approached, humanitarian nonprofit CORE and its partners spent the week flying relief supplies from Oahu to the Big Island. The shipments included camp stoves, hygiene items and other necessities for a community relief hub that has operated since Hurricane Lala struck in August.
Many residents are still trying to recover from Lala, whose powerful winds and heavy rain swept approximately 100 homes from their foundations on the Big Island.
Hawaii prepares for northern edge of Nolo
President Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration for Hawaii on Friday. The action allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate federal assistance and help cover the cost of emergency protective measures.
State officials urged residents to assemble emergency kits, while the governor issued an emergency proclamation that activated hundreds of Hawaii National Guard members.
On the Big Island, Hawaii County officials encouraged people living in flood-prone communities to consider moving to shelters or other safer locations before conditions deteriorate.
Hawaiian Electric, the state’s largest utility, said crews that had been working to restore electricity on Kauai following Hurricane Lowell earlier this month were sent back to Oahu, Maui and the Big Island to prepare for Nolo’s arrival.
Polo is strengthening on its way to Mexico
In Mexico, Hurricane Polo was moving toward the Baja California peninsula after bringing storm conditions to the country’s southwestern coast. The system had maximum sustained winds of 155 mph (249 kph) Saturday, but forecasters expected it to weaken gradually before making landfall Monday.
San Juanico, a small fishing community on Baja’s Pacific coast, is among the towns in Polo’s projected path. Access to basic supplies there is already unreliable.
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“Our people are concerned about this event,” said Gloriely Robles Meza, who manages a small hotel in the community. “We haven’t faced such a worrying situation in many years.”
San Juanico has had dependable electricity for only a few years and still suffers regular outages. When the power fails, residents cannot keep food cold or operate water pumps. The nearest gas station is located so far away that fuel is kept in local tanks and often sells out when demand surges.
Robles Meza said residents feel they have been left largely on their own as they prepare for the hurricane.
“We must prepare on our own — each of us protecting our homes and belongings,” she said. She added that authorities should position heavy equipment in advance to clear roads and provide emergency generators.
At present, the community’s main emergency plan is to turn the local elementary school into a shelter, she said.
“While this is important, we also have other impacts to consider,” she said, including how the town would manage if it became isolated from outside assistance.
San Juanico has experienced late summer storms, but Polo feels different, said Jeffrey Westman, an American who was first drawn to the town’s world-class surf break 40 years ago and owns a property there.
“During the last couple of years, the storms have felt big and strong and scary,” said Westman, 63, who is in Europe right now but is concerned for the locals in San Juanico, particularly about their ability to receive food deliveries or reach larger grocery stores if road access is cut off.
Washed out roads could also block access to the closest medical facility, about 80 minutes away in Ciudad Constitución.
Westman said he is hopeful Polo behaves the way some past storms have, losing intensity before reaching the Baja coastline.
“A lot of times they do start petering out,” as they approach, he said. “I’m hoping that’s the case.”
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Associated Press writers Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut; Gabriela Aoun Angueira in San Diego; Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire; and Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City contributed.
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