Tropical Storm Flossie as seen on visible satellite imagery Sunday afternoon.
Tropical Storm Flossie is set to be the first tropical system in almost 20 years to make a direct landfall on the most populated areas of Hawai'i -- 1993's
Tropical Depression Eugene being the most recent -- as the storm makes its way to the west.
A tropical storm warning has been issued by the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in advance of Tropical Storm Flossie's expected landfall in the island state sometime tomorrow morning.
The storm will have sustained winds of 50 MPH (with locally higher gusts) when the storm makes its way across the southeastern parts of the island chain during the day on Monday. The center of the storm is expected to hit either the northern part of the Big Island or the southern end of Maui when it reaches the state, but there is a possibility that the exact center will pass just between the two islands and never make an official "landfall."
Regardless of where the center lies, the most populous parts of Hawai'i will experience a day's worth of high winds, heavy rain, and dangerously large waves.
Here's the 11AM HST forecast track for Flossie from the CPHC:
Rainfall totals are expected to be on the steep end, with some isolated areas on the windward side of the islands taking the hardest hit. Here are rainfall totals condensed from the CPHC's latest advisory:
- 6-10 inches of rain over the Big Island, Maui, Moloka'i, and Lana'i, with isolated amounts of 15 inches on the windward side of the islands.
- 4-8 inches of rain over O'ahu, with isolated amounts up to 8 inches on the windward side of the island.
For localized information -- including wave heights -- refer to the National Weather Service Honolulu's page to view local hurricane statements for your area.
Flight cancellations are also likely at many of Hawai'i's airports as Flossie nears, so if
you have plans to fly into or out of the state early this week, check with your airline and make plans in case your flight is cancelled. FlightAware doesn't show any cancelled flights into or out of any Hawai'i airport, but that will likely change as the storm draws closer.
Stay safe.
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