Hurricane Hone swept past just south of Hawaii early Sunday, bringing heavy rain and winds of 80mph.
The tropical storm was upgraded to a hurricane last night as it strengthened but it dumped enough rain for the National Weather Service o call off its red flag warnings that strong winds could cause wildfires on the drier sides of islands in the archipelago.
Maps had indicated Hone would skirt near the Big Island on Saturday, prompting officials to shut down all campgrounds and advise residents to stay indoors. The storm was anticipated to intensify into Sunday morning.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned of "life-threatening" rip currents and potential "excessive rainfall and flash flooding". The warning reads: "Tropical Storm conditions are expected on the Big Island, beginning as early as this evening and continuing through early Sunday. Winds are expected to be strongest downslope of higher terrain, over headlands, and through passes."
While the Hawaii Tourism Authority assures visitors that the island remains safe, it suggests delaying outdoor activities until the storm has passed. "We are not advising visitors to cancel their trips," stated the agency.
According to a 2am advisory from the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu, Hurricane Hone was moving west near the southernmost point of the Big Island, close enough to sweep the coast with tropical storm force winds and to drop up to a foot or more of rain on the windward and southeast-facing slopes of the Big Island, with locally higher amounts possible.
“Hone’s main threats to the state continue to be the potential for heavy rainfall leading to flooding, damaging winds and large surf along east-facing shores,” the weather service advised early Sunday.
The situation had raised concerns it would echo last year’s deadly wildfires on Maui, which were fueled by hurricane-force winds. But Hone’s wildfire risks are lower, according to weather service meteorologists in Honolulu.
The Aug. 8, 2023, blaze that torched the historic town of Lahaina caused the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century. Powerful winds whipped up in part by a hurricane passing to Hawaii’s south helped fuel the flames that killed 102 people. Dry, overgrown grasses and drought helped spread the fire.
Hone is "not on the magnitude of that,” meteorologist Derek Wroe said Saturday. It comes as Hurricane Gilma, meanwhile, increased to a Category 4 hurricane Saturday night, but it was still about 1,480 miles (2,380 kilometers) east of Hilo and forecast to weaken into a depression before it reaches Hawaii.
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