Hurricane Nolo Approaches Hawaii, Bringing Heavy Rain and Winds

HILO, Hawaii (AP) — Rain began falling Saturday as Hurricane Nolo approached the Hawaiian Islands, with officials warning about the potential for flash floods, dangerous winds, and extreme surf in areas still recovering from previous storms. Nolo was moving slowly south of the Big Island with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (150 kph). Its center was approximately 160 miles (260 kilometers) south of Hawaii's southernmost point, and it was forecast to strengthen into a major hurricane through the weekend while traveling westward to the south of the islands. While direct landfall by the storm's center was not expected, forecasters indicated it could cause life-threatening flooding and mudslides, with parts of the Big Island anticipated to receive rainfall totals up to 20 inches (51 centimeters). Heavy rain was also expected on the other islands. Michael Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center, advised, "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." The humanitarian nonprofit group CORE and other partners spent the week packing and shipping supplies such as camp stoves and hygiene products by air cargo from Oahu to the Big Island for a community relief hub that has been active since August's Hurricane Lala. Residents are still recovering from Lala, which produced heavy rain and winds strong enough to sweep about 100 homes off their foundations on the Big Island. About a dozen people were in the water Saturday morning at Carlsmith Beach Park in Hilo on the Big Island, despite signs indicating the strand was closed. Andrea Gill was out for her regular swim before returning home to hunker down with family. "I hope it stops just sitting there and moves and goes somewhere else," Gill said of the slow-moving storm. Shop owners boarded up businesses, and events were canceled. Gill noted that storms are common, but hurricanes are rare, expressing hope that the islands might not experience the full impact. "We're used to lots of rain. We're not used to wind. So it's always a blessing when we don't get the wind from the hurricane," she added. President Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration for the state on Friday, authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate assistance and provide funding support. Hawaii officials advised residents to prepare emergency kits, and the governor issued an emergency proclamation, activating hundreds of Hawaii National Guard members. Hawaii County authorities on the Big Island urged individuals in flood-prone areas to consider seeking refuge at shelters or elsewhere. Hawaiian Electric, the state's primary utility, stated that crews assisting with power restoration in Kauai after this month's Hurricane Lowell returned to Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island in preparation for the storm. The Pacific has been unusually active this season, according to National Weather Service lead forecaster Bob Oravec, with storm activity running above average during what is already the peak of hurricane season. He noted that this pattern is consistent with El Niño years, when the Pacific often sees more tropical storms and hurricanes. Meanwhile, Mexico was under the threat of Hurricane Polo as it headed toward the Baja California Peninsula after bringing storm conditions to the southwestern coast. Polo had maximum sustained winds of 145 mph (230 kph), categorizing it as a Category 4 storm, but it was expected to weaken somewhat before making landfall on Monday. One of the towns in the hurricane's projected path is San Juanico, a small fishing community on Baja's Pacific coast where access to basic needs is already unreliable. "Our people are concerned about this event," said Gloriely Robles Meza, a manager at a small hotel. "We haven't faced such a worrying situation in many years." The town has only had full-time electricity for a couple of years and still experiences frequent outages. Without power, residents cannot refrigerate food or pump water. The closest gas station is far away, leading to fuel being stored in and sold from tanks, which frequently run out if demand is high. Robles Meza expressed concern that the community feels left to brace itself for the storm without assistance from authorities. "We must prepare on our own — each of us protecting our homes and belongings," she said, adding that she wished officials would pre-position heavy machinery for clearing roads and emergency generators. For now, she indicated that the only plan is to convert the local elementary school into a shelter. "While this is important, we also have other impacts to consider," Robles Meza stated, highlighting concerns about what the town will do if it is cut off from help. 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 was in Europe at the moment but worried for the locals, particularly regarding their ability to receive food deliveries or reach larger grocery stores if road access is cut off. Washed-out roads could also obstruct access to the nearest medical facility, located about 80 minutes away in Ciudad Constitucion. Westman expressed hope that Polo behaves like some past storms, losing intensity before reaching the peninsula. "A lot of times they do start petering out," he said. "I'm hoping that's the case." Associated Press writers Christopher Weber in Los Angeles; 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.