Hone strengthens into a hurricane as it threatens Hawaii with fire and floods

Mary Gilbert and Robert Shackelford, CNN Meteorologist

HONOLULU (CNN) — The Atlantic hurricane season mightiness beryllium quiet for now, but nan aforesaid can’t beryllium said successful nan Pacific, wherever Hurricane Hone is threatening to present a play rustle to Hawaii.

A tropical large wind informing is successful effect for Hawaii’s Big Island pinch nan large wind connected way to present dense rain, beardown winds, vulnerable seas and occurrence concerns to a tinder-dry authorities still recovering from 1 of nan most devastating fires successful US history. Much of nan land is besides nether a flash flood warning, pinch Hilo International Airport having seen a 36-hour rainfall full of 4.46 inches.

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green declared a authorities of emergency Saturday evening owed to nan threats from Hone and nan elevated occurrence threat successful nan state. The disaster emergency alleviation play will proceed done Monday, according to the proclamation.

Tropical activity has been abundant successful nan Pacific Ocean this year, but nary of nan 7 East Pacific named storms person travel adjacent to Hawaii. Hone, nan first large wind to shape successful nan Central Pacific since 2019, will break that mold.

Hone reached hurricane spot early Sunday. It continued to strengthen, reaching maximum sustained winds of 85 mph later successful nan morning, according to the National Hurricane Center. It’s astir 240 miles south-southeast of Honolulu, moving westbound astatine 8 mph.

Tropical Storm Hone’s way takes nan strategy conscionable southbound of Hawaii. | CNN Weather via CNN Newsource

The large wind is forecast to stay astatine hurricane spot earlier starting to weaken Sunday afternoon. It’s expected to walk adjacent aliases conscionable southbound of nan Big Island done early Sunday and will proceed to caput westbound Sunday and into Monday earlier opening to slow.

Tropical storm-force winds widen astir 115 miles from nan halfway of Hone and are opening to effect nan Big Island. Widespread upwind gusts crossed nan Big Island could scope 70 mph pinch gusts astatine summits perchance reaching 85 mph.

Widespread rainfall totals of 6 to 12 inches are expected connected nan windward and southeast facing slopes of nan Big Island, according to nan hurricane center. “Rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches will beryllium imaginable complete portions of nan smaller islands, chiefly windward,” it warned.

Maui could spot astir 6 inches and Oahu could prime up 2 to 4 inches of rainfall into early adjacent week, particularly connected nan eastbound broadside of nan island. Heavy rainfall could origin flash flooding and area waterways to swell.

In summation to perchance flooding rainfall, Hone will besides present gusty winds this weekend, particularly complete nan Big Island.

“Winds are expected to beryllium strongest wherever they rustle downslope from higher terrain, complete headlands and done passes,” nan hurricane halfway warned connected Saturday.

Smaller Hawaiian islands are nether upwind advisories, pinch wide gusts to 55 mph are imaginable and higher elevations could spot gusts to 60 mph.

The storm’s strongest winds will apt past from precocious Saturday done Sunday arsenic it makes its closest walk southbound of nan Big Island.

Breezy conditions proceed to raise occurrence threat concerns complete parts of nan authorities wherever winds get stronger without nan rainfall to travel them.

Red emblem warnings person been issued for leeward areas which mostly see nan occidental and confederate coasts of each land successful Hawaii’s chain. Lahaina, which was devastated by wildfires past year, is besides nether a reddish emblem warning.

The accrued occurrence threat is peculiarly concerning fixed drought conditions successful nan authorities are worse this twelvemonth than they were astatine nan clip of past year’s devastating wildfires. Wildfires in Maui past August near much than 100 group dormant and caused $6 cardinal successful damage.

Given Hone’s rain, occurrence upwind conditions don’t look to beryllium arsenic terrible arsenic those during past year’s fires, but if barren fuels for illustration grasses and trees drawback fire, they‘ll quickly spell up successful flames. Strong winds could instrumentality those flames and quickly dispersed occurrence to adjacent locations.

Around nan clip of past year’s fires, astir 15% of nan authorities was experiencing astatine slightest mean drought, according to nan US Drought Monitor. As of August 20, moderate drought aliases worse conditions covered 73% of Hawaii.

Hone will fortify precocious Sunday into Monday and could go a hurricane briefly. At this point, nan strategy will apt beryllium centered 300 to 400 miles southwest of Hawaii’s islands.

After Hone moves distant early adjacent week, it whitethorn not beryllium nan only strategy Hawaii contends pinch complete nan adjacent mates of weeks.

Gilma, which was a Category 3 hurricane arsenic of Saturday evening arsenic it roared complete nan unfastened Pacific, will proceed to way westbound done overmuch of adjacent week. The strategy will weaken arsenic it approaches Hawaii, but whatever remains of it could return a swipe astatine nan authorities precocious adjacent week.

Interests successful and astir Hawaii whitethorn request to proceed to show for tropical problem moreover into early September.

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Tropical Storm Hone threatens Hawaii pinch occurrence and floods. | CNN Weather via CNN Newsource