Hurricane Madeline continues to weaken but it’s still a category 1 hurricane as it approaches Hawaii Island.
Hurricane Madeline continues to weaken but it’s still a category 1 hurricane as it approaches Hawaii Island.
At 8 a.m. today, the storm was situated about 120 miles east-southeast of Hilo packing maximum sustained winds of 75 mph.
The storm is moving to the west at 12 mph. It is on a trajectory forecasters said would bring it “dangerously close” to the Big Island sometime today, and the cone-of-uncertainty on the forecast map shows the storm itself could come ashore over the southern portion of the island.
A hurricane warning remains in effect for Hawaii County. Hurricane conditions are expected to develop over portions of Hawaii County later today and continue into early Thursday.
Swells generated by Madeline are expected to increase across Hawaiian waters today, with surf possibly becoming damaging along east facing shores of Hawaii County and eastern portions of the Island of Maui today and tonight.
Madeline is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 5 to 10 inches, with isolated maximum amounts near 15 inches, across Hawaii County, especially over windward portions. This rainfall may lead to dangerous flash floods and mudslides.
Hurricane Lester is approaching the central Pacific. At 8 a.m. the storm was 1,085 miles east of Hilo, packing category 4 maximum sustained winds of 130 mph. The storm is moving west at 12 mph. Lester is on a projected path that would take the storm north of the island, probably on Saturday, and is forecast to weaken as it turns north and also be a category 1 if it hits Hawaii. The cone-of-uncertainty on the forecast map contains the northernmost half of Hawaii Island.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.