It’s been a busy week and it’s only Wednesday. A situation is developing in Hawaii.
BULLETIN
Hurricane Lane Intermediate Advisory Number 31A
NWS Central Pacific Hurricane Center Honolulu HI EP142018
200 AM HST Wed Aug 22 2018
...POWERFUL HURRICANE LANE MOVING WEST NORTHWESTWARD TOWARD THE
MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS...
SUMMARY OF 200 AM HST...1200 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...14.9N 155.0W
ABOUT 335 MI...540 KM S OF KAILUA-KONA HAWAII
ABOUT 480 MI...770 KM SSE OF HONOLULU HAWAII
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...160 MPH...260 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...WNW OR 290 DEGREES AT 9 MPH...15 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...935 MB...27.61 INCHES
Hurricane warnings are up for the Big Island, and Hurricane watches are up for the remaining islands.
Lane will take several days to move past and through the Hawaiian Islands, with the worst beginning Thursday, Hawaii time. Sea surface temperatures are warm enough to support a major hurricane, but land interaction with the tall volcanoes, and increasing shear, should weaken the hurricane some. Nevertheless, this could still be a catastrophic event for the entire state.
KEY MESSAGES:
1. Lane is forecast to move dangerously close to the main Hawaiian
Islands as a hurricane Thursday through Saturday, potentially
bringing damaging winds and life-threatening flash flooding from
heavy rainfall. As Lane is expected to be slow-moving as it nears
the islands, it will produce large and damaging surf.
2. As Lane approaches the islands from the southeast, initial
impacts will be felt on the Big Island, where a Hurricane Warning
is in effect. Preparations should be rushed to completion as
tropical-storm force winds are forecast to arrive by late Wednesday
or early Thursday. A Hurricane Watch remains in effect for Maui
County and the island of Oahu, with tropical-storm force winds
possibly beginning Thursday or Thursday night.
3. Do not focus on the exact forecast track for Lane, as life-
threatening weather conditions extend well away from the center of
the hurricane, and impacts could be felt on any of the islands.
Follow the progress of Lane at the Central Pacific Hurricane Center and NWS’s Honolulu Office and if you’re in Hawaii, you probably shouldn’t be reading me, you should be getting ready. Lane won’t be gone until Saturday.