Hawaii is bracing for the arrival of what is poised to become its third hurricane in modern history.
Hurricane Douglas brought rain and wind to the island nation while passing north of Maui on Sunday. With it, residents prepared for a “triple threat of hazards,” including high winds, flooding rainfall, and high surf. As of mid-afternoon local time, a hurricane warning was in effect for parts of the state while a tropical storm warning was set for others.
According to the National Weather Service, the hurricane “will pass near, or over, the islands from Maui to Kauai” within hours. The storm is expected to weaken over the next 48 hours but maintains hurricane status after its maximum sustained winds were recorded around 85mph.
Massive waves on the Waikoloa side of Hana Bay right now as #HurricaneDouglas moves in ?
Credit: Kanoe Merino pic.twitter.com/8VXlZ9flGq
— KITV4 (@KITV4) July 26, 2020
HURRICANE DOUGLAS: Pounders Beach is really starting to feel the impacts of Hurricane Douglas. I spoke to a surfer who says it’s been getting more and more intense as the day progresses. @KHONnews pic.twitter.com/P23HeDGHDV
— Lauren Day (@LaurenDayNews) July 26, 2020
If the category 1 hurricane makes landfall, it would be just the third to pummel the island nation since the year 1900, as most storms tend to come close, but pass the state. Category 1 Hurricane Dot hit Hawaii in 1959, followed by category 4 Hurricane Iniki in 1992.
“It is fairly common for hurricanes to track towards Hawaii, but they usually dissipate or at least weaken considerably before impacting the islands,” Phil Klotzbach, a research scientist at Colorado State University, told CNN.
Earlier Sunday, Hurricane Hana was downgraded to a tropical storm after slamming southern Texas.
The National Weather Service predicted that Hurricane Douglas will leave the area by Monday night.
