Hector Passing South of Hawaii, Storm Warning Cancelled

August 8, 2018, 3:48 AM HST
* Updated August 8, 5:27 PM

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Hector satellite imagery 5 p.m. 8.8.18. PC: NOAA/CPHC

Hector is a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-SimpsonUpdate: 5 p.m. 8.8.18

At 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018, the eye of Hurricane Hector was located 170 miles SSW of South Point,285 miles S of Hāna and 290 miles S of Kahului, Maui (near latitude 16.7 North, longitude 156.8 West).

Forecasters with the Central Pacific Hurricane Center say Hector is moving toward the west near 16 mph and this general motion is expected to continue the next couple of days, with a turn toward the northwest expected over the weekend.

According to the latest forecast, the center of Hector will continue to pass several hundred miles south of the main Hawaiian islands through early Thursday.

Hector remains a category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds are near 115 mph with higher gusts. Hurricane Wind Scale. Forecasters say little change in strength is forecast over the next couple of days.

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Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 90 miles.

According to the latest forecast from the National Weather Service, “Breezy trade wind weather will prevail across the state through Thursday, with increasing low clouds and showers focusing primarily over windward and mauka areas as Hurricane Hector passes south of the islands. A drier and more typical trade wind pattern is expected to return late Friday through early next week.”

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(Update: 11 a.m. 8.8.18)

The tropical storm warning for the Big Island has been cancelled as of 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018.

At 11 a.m., the center of Hurricane Hector was located 170 miles S of South Point, 225 miles S of Hilo, 300 miles S of Hāna and 310 miles SSE of Kahului, Maui (near latitude 16.5 North, longitude 155.3 West).

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Hector is moving toward the west near 16 mph and this general motion is expected to continue through Thursday, with a gradual turn toward the northwest expected Friday and Saturday.

Hector has maintained its strength as a category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds are near 115 mph with higher gusts. Slight weakening is forecast during the next couple of days.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 90 miles.

On the water, swells generated by Hector will bring large and dangerous surf to portions of the main Hawaiian islands through tonight. A high surf warning remains in effect for the southeast shores of Kaʻū and Puna. County officials say the southwest coast of the island (Kaʻū to Kona) may experience elevated surf up to 7 feet.

The updated closure list includes the following:

Police and road crews report that all roads and highways are open. The following parks will remain closed until all danger has passed: Punaluʻu, Whittington, and Miloliʻi.
Elections Division reports the Pāhoa and Pāhala early voting sites are closed today.
The Disaster Recovery Center at the Pāhoa Community Center is closed today.

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Previous Post: (Update: 8 a.m. 8.8.18)

Enhanced rainfall with deep tropical moisture surrounding Hector is forecast to affect the Puna and Kaʻū Districts of the Big Island as the hurricane passes about 150 miles to the south of Hawaiʻi Island this afternoon, and about 300 miles south of Oʻahu tonight.

At 8 a.m., the center of Hurricane Hector was located about 185 miles SSE of South Point, 225 miles SSE of Hilo, 310 miles SSE of Hāna and 330 miles SE of Kahului (near latitude 16.5 North, longitude 154.5 West).

A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for the Big Island. Forecasters say tropical storm conditions are expected across portions of the Big Island today as the core of Hector passes to the south. The strongest winds are forecast downslope from mountains, across elevated terrain, over headlands, and through gaps.

According to a 5:30 a.m. update, the National Weather Service is forecasting enhanced rainfall with “deep tropical moisture surrounding Hector [to] affect the Puna, Kaʻū, North Hilo, and South Hilo Districts of the Big Island as the hurricane passes by south of the state over the next couple of days. Rain showers may be locally heavy at times, particularly over east to southeast facing slopes.”

Elsewhere across the Hawaiian islands, little to no impact is anticipated in terms of flooding rain and damaging winds.

There is a wind advisory in effect for Lānaʻi until midnight with 25 to 35 mph winds forecast and localized gusts up to 50 mph.

Hector is moving toward the west near 15 mph, and this same general motion is expected to continue through Thursday evening.

Some weakening occurred overnight but Hector remains a powerful Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 120 mph. Additional slight weakening is forecast during the next couple of days; however, forecasters say Hector will likely remain a powerful and dangerous hurricane through Thursday.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles.

On the water, swells generated by Hector are expected to reach southeast and east facing shores of the Big Island and eastern Maui this morning. Surf along affected shores is forecast to become large and dangerous after daybreak, and continue through tonight. The CPHC says we can expect surf heights of 12 to 15 feet mainly for the Puna and Kaʻū districts of the Big Island. Forecasters say high surf will combine with seasonably high tides producing overwash on low-lying coastal areas and roadways, with potential for coastal erosion impacts as well. On Maui, high surf is also expected along the east facing shores.

The following beach and road closures are in effect:

Whittington, Punaluʻu, and Miloliʻi Beach Parks are closed, and will remain closed until all danger has passed.
Early voting sites at the Pāhoa Community Center and the Pāhala Community Center are closed today.

Forecasters with the National Weather Service say: “Wet trade wind weather is expected to develop statewide Wednesday night, then continue through Thursday night. Drier conditions will then develop from southeast to northwest across the island chain on Friday. A drier and more typical trade wind pattern is then expected to resume Friday night through early next week.”

POTENTIAL IMPACTS: (as posted by the NWS/CPHC):

WIND:
Protect against hazardous wind having possible limited impacts across parts of the Big Island, mainly over and downwind of the higher terrain.
Potential impacts in this area include:
– Damage to porches, awnings, carports, sheds, and unanchored mobile homes. Unsecured lightweight objects blown about.
– Many large tree limbs broken off. A few trees snapped or uprooted, but with greater numbers in places where trees are shallow rooted. Some fences and roadway signs blown over.
– A few roads impassable from debris, particularly within urban or heavily wooded places. Hazardous driving conditions on bridges and other elevated roadways.
– Scattered power and communications outages.

Elsewhere across the Hawaiian islands, little to no impact is anticipated.

FLOODING RAIN:
Protect against locally hazardous rainfall flooding having possible limited impacts across Puna, Kau, North Hilo, and South Hilo Districts.
Potential impacts include:
– Localized rainfall flooding may prompt a few evacuations.
– Rivers and tributaries may quickly rise with swifter currents. Small streams, creeks, canals, arroyos, and ditches may become swollen and overflow in spots.
– Flood waters can enter a few structures, especially in usually vulnerable spots. A few places where rapid ponding of water occurs at underpasses, low-lying spots, and poor drainage areas. Several storm drains and retention ponds become near-full and begin to overflow. Some brief road and bridge closures.

Elsewhere across the Hawaiian islands, little to no impact is anticipated.

*Below is video of Maui Now Meteorologist Malika Dudley interviewing the CPHC’s Robert Ballard at 8 p.m. on 8.7.18.

https://www.facebook.com/mauinow/videos/1958812850820634/