Hurricane Nolo skirts Hawaii but powerful winds and flooding remain threats

Key Points:

• Hurricane Nolo intensified south of Hawaii’s Big Island with sustained winds of 90 mph, posing risks of flash floods, mudslides, and extreme surf, though direct landfall was not expected.
• Heavy rainfall up to 20 inches was forecasted for parts of the Big Island, leading to partial highway closures and activation of over 120 National Guard members to assist residents.
• Hawaii officials issued emergency proclamations, activated hundreds of National Guard members, and urged residents to prepare emergency kits amid ongoing recovery from previous storms like Hurricane Lala.
• On Maui, a brush fire prompted mandatory evacuations and highway closures, with high wind warnings issued, reflecting the region's heightened vulnerability during an unusually active Pacific hurricane season linked to El Niño.
• Meanwhile, Hurricane Polo, a Category 3 storm with 120 mph winds, threatened Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula, with vulnerable communities like San Juanico preparing independently amid concerns over power outages and limited emergency support.