The first hurricane to threaten the US since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic is approaching Hawaii, prompting the governor to issue an emergency declaration on Friday night. Meanwhile, there are two storms in the Atlantic and one could reach the strength of a hurricane before causing significant flooding on the Texas Gulf coast.
In the Pacific, Hurricane Douglas became a major Category 3 on Thursday, with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph. It is expected to weaken as it passes over cooler waters before reaching Hawaii, but forecasters warn that strong winds, heavy rains and dangerous waves could affect the entire state as of Sunday.
Meteorological authorities on Friday put the islands of Hawaii and Maui County (including Maui, Molokai and Kahoolawe) under hurricane watch.
NOAA
CBS News meteorologist and climate specialist Jeff Berardelli says Douglas will likely pass just north of the Big Island of Hawaii on Saturday and possibly make landfall on Sunday as a hurricane or tropical storm on Maui. Watch out for heavy rain, flash floods, and winds over 75 mph. If it hits land with hurricane force, it would only be the third time in record history that Hawaii has seen a hurricane on land.
On Friday night, Hawaii Governor David Ige announced an “emergency proclamation before landfall.”
“Our top priority is always the safety, health and well-being of our residents and visitors,” he said in a statement. “Please take immediate steps to protect your families, loved ones, employees, and property. We ask everyone to closely follow emergency instructions as we prepare for Hurricane Douglas.”
Storm coming closer as Hawaii is grappling with surge COVID-19 numbers. On Thursday, the state reported 55 recently confirmed cases, its biggest increase in a single day since the pandemic began.
Unlike in other hurricane-prone states like Florida, where residents crowd into cars to evacuate when storms approach, it’s not practical to leave Hawaii to escape a storm. Shelter space is also limited.
So, as is typical, local authorities are urging most people to take refuge in their homes if they can. Those who live in houses built according to the code after 1995 should be “pretty good,” said John Cummings, the Honolulu Emergency Management public information office,
He recommended staying with friends and family if the home is not safe. Seek refuge in an interior room, he said. Going to a city-run shelter should be the last resort, he added.
Hanna threatens the Texas coast
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Hanna is expected to become a hurricane as it moves toward the Texas coast near Corpus Christi. The storm threatens to bring heavy rain, rough water, and high winds, and tropical storm conditions are forecast to begin hitting the shoreline Saturday morning.
“The big threat here is rain and flash floods,” said CBS News weather producer David Parkinson. “Texas needs storms like this to prevent recurring droughts, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be isolated pockets of severe flooding.”
The National Hurricane Center said early on Saturday that Hanna is expected to produce 6 to 12 inches of rain, with an isolated maximum total of 18 inches through Sunday night in South Texas and parts of Mexico.
A hurricane warning has been issued from Port Mansfield to Mesquite Bay, Texas. A tropical storm warning spread from Barra el Mezquital, Mexico to Port Mansfield, and from Mesquite Bay to High Island, Texas. And a storm surge warning was in effect for Port Mansfield to Sargent, Texas.
Hanna and Gonzalo set records as the season increases
Hanna broke the record as the eighth named storm in the Atlantic, in what is shaping up to be a unusually active season. The previous record was Harvey on August 3, 2005, said Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach.
Tropical Storm Gonzalo, which is moving towards the southern Caribbean, was also the first named storm in the Atlantic for its place in the alphabet. It formed on Wednesday, July 22, breaking the previous record for Tropical Storm Gert, which formed on July 24, 2005. So far this year, Christopher, Danielle, Edouard, and Fay have also set records for being the Atlantic storm. oldest of its alphabetical. order.
“The second phase of the Atlantic hurricane season is now in full swing, approximately 2 to 3 weeks earlier than normal, in part due to the warm temperatures of tropical tropical water, which nearly broke records,” explained Berardelli. “We are more than a week ahead of the record pace of named storms and all signs point to one of the most active seasons on record in the Atlantic basin.”
“More troubling than any of the current storms is that another wave is emerging in Africa right now that models suggest could be a more significant player in the next two weeks,” he said.
Gonzalo is expected to bring rain and wind to the south of the Windward Islands late Friday and Saturday. A tropical storm warning went into effect early Saturday morning for Tobago and Granada and their dependencies.
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