Hurricane Nolo Threatens Hawaii with Winds and Flooding; Mexico Faces Hurricane Polo
While Hurricane Nolo skirts Hawaii, forecasters warn of dangerous conditions and heavy rainfall, as Hurricane Polo targets Mexico's Baja California Peninsula.
Hurricane Nolo, gaining intensity, skirted the Hawaiian Islands on Saturday, presenting risks of flash floods, dangerous winds, and extreme surf in areas still recovering from previous storms. Although direct landfall by the storm's center was not expected, its outer bands could bring life-threatening flooding and mudslides, with the Big Island potentially receiving up to 20 inches of rain.
Nolo was churning slowly south of the Big Island with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph. Forecasters anticipate it will strengthen into a major hurricane late Sunday and early Monday as it moves westward south of the islands.
"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," said Michael Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center. Residents were advised to prepare emergency kits, and the governor issued an emergency proclamation, activating hundreds of Hawaii National Guard members. Hawaiian Electric repositioned crews to prepare for the storm.
This storm activity is consistent with El Niño years, which typically see more tropical storms and hurricanes in the Pacific, according to National Weather Service lead forecaster Bob Oravec. The region has already experienced an unusually active season.
The humanitarian group CORE and partners had been shipping relief supplies to the Big Island, which is still recovering from Hurricane Lala. Lala, which occurred in August, produced heavy rain and winds that swept approximately 100 homes off their foundations on the Big Island.
In Hawaii, residents prepared for the storm, with some boarding up businesses and canceling events. Despite warnings, some people were seen at beaches like Carlsmith Beach Park in Hilo.
Meanwhile, Mexico is bracing for Hurricane Polo, a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph, as it heads toward the Baja California Peninsula. Polo is expected to weaken somewhat before making landfall on Monday.
Communities like San Juanico on Baja's Pacific coast, a small fishing town with limited infrastructure, are concerned about Polo's impact. Residents are preparing for potential power outages, difficulties accessing food and water, and challenges reaching the nearest medical facility, located about 80 minutes away. Local leaders expressed concern about the community's ability to cope with the storm without immediate external assistance, noting that the town must largely rely on its own preparations, including converting the local elementary school into a shelter.
President Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration for Hawaii on Friday, authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate assistance and provide funding. Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed to this report.