Maximum sustained winds are near 130 miles per hour (215 kph) with higher gusts.
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On Aug. 31 at 6:50 p.m. EDT (22:50 UTC) the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard NASA-NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite provided a visible image of Hurricane Lester.
Residents are making preparations for the storm, which is expected to pass close by – and perhaps make landfall on – the Big Island of Hawaii on Wednesday night.
Hurricane Lester has strengthened to a major Category 3 storm as it reels toward Hawaii.
Though Tropical Storm Madeline was no longer a hurricane, the weather’s uncertainty couldn’t let Hawaii’s Big Island relax.
Hawaii Island was pummeled with heavy rains and powerful waves overnight, but residents woke to blue skies and little damage after Madeline skirted the island. Winds are expected to first reach tropical storm strength by this afternoon, making outside preparations hard or risky.
Tropical Storm Hermine is also expected to make landfall in Florida on Thursday before heading into Georgia and SC. The National Hurricane Center in Miami says Tropical St. Forecasters downgraded Madeline from a hurricane to a tropical storm as it veered past Hawaii’s. Public schools in Hawaii have been closed, and the governor was urging residents of the Big Island to take steps to protect people and property.
At 8 a.m., Madeline was barely hanging on as a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 75 mph, about 120 miles east-southeast of Hilo and 335 miles east-southeast of Honolulu, moving west at 14 mph.
Hurricane Madeline is rapidly weakening and speeding up as outer rain bands and high surf from the storm reach Hawaii island this morning.
On its current path, the system would dump as much as 10 inches (25 cm) of rain on coastal areas of Georgia, which was under a tropical storm watch, and the Carolinas.
Heavy rains were already pounding parts of the state on Wednesday. “Surf will peak this weekend, becoming very large and damaging along east facing shores”, the hurricane center said.
Hawaiian Airlines announced this week that it would waive change fees for flights to and from the Big Island amid Madeline’s passing for tickets issued on or before August 30 for flights scheduled for August 31 and September 1.
Schools in Hawaii County are started to announce closures due to the approaching Hurricane Madeline. But it’s expected to remain a hurricane as it passes the state, Chevalier said.
Leeward areas could see locally stronger gusts as winds go downslope and funnel down canyons.
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At 5 a.m. Thursday, the eye of Lester was about 750 miles east of Hilo or 945 miles east of Honolulu.
