Ana now hurricane off coast of Hawaii
KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii – The powerful Pacific storm churning toward Hawaii became a hurricane but remained far enough away from the islands allowing tourists to make the most of Friday’s sunny weather.
The National Weather Service said Friday Ana became a Category 1 hurricane about 230 miles south of Hilo with maximum sustained winds of 75 miles per hour.
A tropical storm watch was in effect throughout the archipelago.
The islands’ south shores were expected to see large swells churned up by Ana, with waves as high as 10 to 20 feet. But the swells remained small on Oahu Friday morning, where surfers and paddle boarders caught a few waves at Waikiki Beach.
Tourists Kim and Adam Stocker from New Hampshire were exploring the Big Island’s West side, and weren’t going to let a storm interfere with their first trip to Hawaii.
“It’s like ‘I don’t care, I’m going. Hurricane or not,” said Adam Stocker, 49. “I got the time off. It’s already paid for.”
Heavy rainfall may reach the Big Island this afternoon, with about 6 to 8 inches of rainfall expected. Some isolated areas may get up to a foot of rain.
The storm is expected to pass 115 miles southwest of the Big Island Friday night, and to pass the rest of the Hawaiian islands over the weekend.
Gov. Neil Abercrombie proclaimed an emergency to help the state respond to the storm.
The Hawaii chapter of the American Red Cross planned to open evacuation shelters on the Big Island at noon, and recommended that those going to shelters bring a seven-day supply of food and water.
Iniki slammed into Kauai as a Category 4 hurricane in 1992, killing six people and destroying more than 1,400 homes.
The storm is moving about 14 miles per hour. It will be farther from the coast than predicted, and will be a hurricane for a shorter period than previously thought, forecasters said.
The soil in the Kau district already is heavily saturated from recent thunderstorms, raising the risk of flooding there.
The weather service issued a flash flood watch for the entire state from Friday through Sunday, indicating flooding is possible anywhere in the archipelago, said Chris Brenchley, a weather service meteorologist.
Ana is expected to lose some power as it moves northwest along the island chain.
It could bring 40 mph to 50 mph winds to Oahu – which is home to Honolulu, the state’s biggest city — and Kauai. Gusts could reach up to 75 mph near the storm’s center.