The National Hurricane Center in the United States announced on Wednesday, September 23, that tropical storm “Nolo” has formed in the Pacific Ocean and is expected to strengthen into a Category 3 hurricane by later this week when it reaches the Big Island of Hawaii. Authorities have issued a hurricane watch alert for Hawaii in anticipation of Nolo’s arrival.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Nolo is projected to intensify into a hurricane at some point on Thursday and could potentially develop into a major hurricane before the weekend. When a hurricane reaches Category 3 or higher, it is classified as a major hurricane, meaning it will have sustained wind speeds of at least 111 miles per hour (approximately 179 kilometers per hour).
As of Wednesday afternoon local time in Hawaii, Nolo’s maximum sustained wind speed was 45 miles per hour (about 72 kilometers per hour). The storm system is currently moving in a west-northwest direction, but is expected to “turn sharply northward and northeastward” on Thursday.
It is expected that by Friday or Saturday, Nolo will approach the Big Island of Hawaii.
This storm is forecasted to bring approximately 15 to 20 inches (38 to 51 centimeters) of rainfall to the Big Island, with some areas potentially receiving up to 35 inches.
The National Hurricane Center has warned that heavy rainfall could trigger “life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides, especially in steep terrain areas.”
Maui could see 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters) of rainfall, with some areas receiving up to 20 inches, potentially leading to life-threatening flooding and mudslides. The remaining islands are expected to receive 1 to 3 inches of rainfall, with local flooding possible.
Hawaii has recently been hit by several storms, including Hurricane “Lala” in mid-August that affected the Big Island, and Hurricane “Lowell” in early September that impacted Niihau and Kauai islands.
The eastern Pacific Ocean is currently experiencing an unusually active storm season. While Tropical Storm “Nolo” has formed, another storm named “Polo” continues to swirl off the southwest coast of Mexico and has rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane.
In early September, Hurricanes “Karina,” “Lowell,” and “Marie” were simultaneously active in the Pacific, marking the first time in a decade that three hurricanes had formed in the region simultaneously.
The hurricane season in the central Pacific lasts from June 1 to November 30. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), this year is predicted to have between 5 to 13 tropical storms, higher than the usual 4 to 5 storms.