Hawaii residents dodged one bullet when Hurricane Iselle weakened before making landfall Friday.
Tropical Storm Iselle was still the first named storm to strike the islands in 22 years.
The storm game ashore around 2:30 a.m. local time just outside of Pahala. The storm carried sustained winds of 60 m.p.h. No deaths or major injuries have been reported so far.
Officials say that heavy rain has been falling on the island of Oahu that has been causing localized flooding. Roadways have been impassible and residents have been told to avoid traveling. Downed trees have blocked the H-1 freeway.
Power is out to large parts of the islands. Officials confirmed at least 21,000 homes are in the dark and the total is likely to climb as the storm continues.
Hurricane Julio, which has strengthened to a Category 3 storm, is now tracking to move just north of the islands but could still bring heavy rain from the outer bands to the areas currently being hit by Iselle.
Hawaii, preparing for the landfall of Hurricane Iselle, was struck with a 4.5 magnitude earthquake Thursday morning.
The quake struck just off the northwest tip of the big island at a depth of 7.9 miles. Hawaiian officials said there were no immediate reports of damage but that surveys were not a priority due to the pending arrival of Hurricane Iselle.
The hurricane is the first of two that could strike the islands before the end of the week. Hurricane Iselle will make landfall on the big island tonight around 8pm local time and Hurricane Julio could hit the islands two days later.
Forecasters say it’s possible that Julio will turn north and only the outer bands of the storm will strike the islands.
Hawaii has not been hit head-on by a hurricane in 22 years. Residents have been stocking up on supplies and boarding up homes. Water is reportedly being sold at multiple times regular price because of shortages throughout the islands.
The first named storm of the Atlantic storm season is bearing down on the Carolinas as a class 1 hurricane.
Hurricane Arthur reached class 1 status early Thursday morning and has been strengthening at a pace that has surprised meteorologists. Initially forecast to be no stronger than a class 1, many forecasters now predict it could reach mid to upper class 2 status.
The National Hurricane Center says Arthur should stay off the North Carolina coast for the most part but the outer bands will cause significant rainfall and flooding that can lead to washed out roads and downed power lines. Some areas could be without power up to a week according to emergency management officials.
Tony Saavedra with the National Weather Service said the worst of the storm for the Carolinas would happen in the early morning hours Friday when 3 to 5 inches of rain and sustained winds in excess of 85 miles per hour should hit Cape Hatteras.
There are concerns along the mid-Atlantic and New England states that Arthur will ruin the 4th of July weekend. Boston moved its 4th of July celebration concert with the Boston Pops and fireworks to Thursday because of forecasts of heavy rain from Arthur on Friday.
Officials are also watching the beaches to stop surfers from chasing after the large waves caused by the storm. The makeup of Arthur is causing riptides stronger than normal and officials say most surfers won’t be ready for the strength of the riptides.
Tropical Storm Raymond upgraded to a Hurricane on Sunday and forecasters believe the storm could hit a part of Mexico’s Pacific coastline that has already been devastated by storms this year.
The National Hurricane Center is predicting that Category 2 Hurricane Raymond would take a sharp turn toward the ocean after reaching within 50 miles of the Mexican coast but that the winds and rain from the storm’s bands could bring the threat of heavy rain, flooding and landslides.
The storm is expected to hit around the resort city of Acapulco, which had been seriously damaged in mid-September by Tropical Storm Manuel. The city’s airport had been flooded forcing the military to conduct an emergency evacuation of tourists. The damage from Manuel had been estimated in the six billion dollar range and most repairs have not taken place. Over 120 people were killed as a result of Manuel.
Forecasters say a cold front moving south is what would direct the storm back out to sea but if the cold front stall or slows the Hurricane could reach closer to the coast or even make landfall.
Officials in the coastal areas have closed seaports and have urged residents to evacuate. They say many of the area’s dams are already filled past capacity and while attempts are being made to lower water levels any significant rain could cause flash flooding or landslides.
After slamming southwest Mexico with heavy rains causing landslides, flash flooding and multiple deaths, Tropical Storm Manuel moved back out to sea. There, it strengthened, and struck the Mexican coast in northwest Mexico Thursday as Class 1 Hurricane Manuel.
At least 80 people died when T.S. Manuel and Hurricane Ingrid struck within hours of each other earlier this week and at least 58 are still missing in a mudslide in Guerrero state. Continue reading →
The Mexican military has airlifted the first 2,000 of an estimated 40,000 tourists trapped in the resort city of Acapulco after flooding from Tropical Storm Manuel.
Manuel and Hurricane Ingrid both struck the country within 24 hours, killing at least 57 and leaving tens of thousands without homes, power or clean drinking water. Continue reading →
Tropical Storm Manuel slammed Mexico’s Pacific coast on Sunday while Hurricane Ingrid brought heavy rain and landslides to the other side of the nation as authorities say at least 19 people have died.
Government officials are evacuating thousands. Continue reading →
Hurricane Barbara made landfall near Salina Cruz in southern Mexico and has been hammering the country with heavy rain.
Barbara is a category 1 storm with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph. Continue reading →
Two Colorado State University climatologists who have been predicting hurricane seasons for years are telling coastal residents to prepare for a turbulent few months.
Phil Klotzbach and William Gray are predicting 18 named storms, 9 of them hurricanes and at least four of them major hurricanes. The average for a storm season is 12 named storms with six hurricanes, 3 major. Continue reading →
Hurricane Sandy is raging toward the eastern coast of the United States after leaving 29 dead and thousands without power and homes.
The storm has weakened to a category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph according to the National Hurricane Center. However, new forecast models have the storm on a much more likely path to strike the East Coast. Continue reading →
