Hurricane poised to hit Hawaii as El Nino stirs Pacific

HONOLULU - A strengthening tropical storm named Lala is set to hit Hawaii’s Big Island with hurricane force gales on Aug 15, bringing dangerous winds, rainfall and heavy surf.

The governor of the US Pacific island state declared a state of emergency as the storm barrelled towards the archipelago, packing winds that could gust up to 137kmh.

A hurricane warning was in effect for Hawaii County, which covers the Big Island, and a tropical storm warning held for the islands of Maui, Molokai and Kahoolawe to its north-west. Lower grade tropical storm watches were in place for other islands.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said rainfall of up to 30cm was expected across Maui and the Big Island, with up to 63cm in certain pockets of the latter, and storm surge of 30-90cm.

Rough conditions could persist into Aug 16.

Governor Josh Green proclaimed a state of emergency to ensure the state and its counties “have sufficient resources to clear debris, secure infrastructure, and take other measures to prepare”.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said his adminstration had spent days preparing the area for the impact of the storm, and urged residents to be ready.

“I am asking everyone to finish your preparations today. Don’t wait for the weather to deteriorate,” he said on Aug 14.

“Stay informed, stay away from dangerous areas, and make sure your family knows what to do if conditions worsen.”

Hawaii’s emergency management agency recommended residents clear gutters and drains and move valuables off the ground, seal gaps in doors and remove tree limbs that threaten their properties.

“Stay away from beaches and coastal areas where rough surf and rip currents could sweep you away,” it added.

A young green sea turtle fills up on grass as ocean waters started to rise due to the approach of Tropical Storm Lala at Reed's Bay in Hilo, Hawaii on Aug 14. PHOTO: AFP

Hawaii was menaced by Hurricane Fausto last month, before the storm weakened and skirted north of the island chain.

The state was last hit by a “major” hurricane – meaning Category 3, 4, or 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale – in 1992, when Hurricane Iniki caused at least six deaths and billions of dollars in damage.

The storm comes as a powerful El Nino has formed in the central equatorial Pacific Ocean, with temperatures already so high that NOAA now predicts a 69 per cent chance of a “historic event that would exceed the strength of previous El Nino events dating back to 1950” when it peaks between October and December.

El Nino, a natural climate pattern when sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean become unusually warm, tends to promote hurricane activity in the Pacific while suppressing it in the Atlantic.

Human-caused climate change can amplify El Nino’s impacts because a warmer ocean and atmosphere increase the availability of energy and moisture for extreme weather events, such as heat waves and heavy rainfall. AFP