Tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles from its center. “Surf will peak this weekend, becoming very large and damaging along east facing shores”, the hurricane center said.
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The Hawaiian islands of Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kahoolawe were under a tropical storm watch, but there were no alerts for Oahu or Kauai.
Time lapse video of the hurricanes shows the eye of each storm amid swirling white clouds as the International Space Station passed more than 257 miles above the Earth.
The U.S. Coast Guard is opening ports in Hawaii County, and cargo operations are resuming.
Despite Madeline’s rain and wind moving away from the island chain, hazards will continue for swimmers and boaters along the beaches as Hurricane Lester approaches from the east.
They are also urging visitors to Hawaii to heed warnings from lifeguards and officials.
The state Department of Education announced public schools would be closed Wednesday and Thursday in anticipation of severe weather, and about a dozen schools were turned into emergency shelters.
Forecasters say Lester will pass close to the islands this weekend and could bring more heavy rainfall and strong winds.
The storm was around 175 miles south of the island, Hilo, as of 0600 GMT on Thursday, churning maximum sustained winds of 65 miles an hour as it moved southwest at 15 miles per hour, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) said.
The cyclone is moving toward the west near 14 miles per hour and is expected to make a slight turn toward the west-northwest on Thursday.
Hurricane Madeline, which was downgraded from Category 3 to 2 Tuesday, was weakening as it approached the islands.
But if the storm veers to the south it could have a much greater impact, said Ian Morrison, meteorologist from the National Weather Service.
Lester is expected to slowly weaken and remain a hurricane as it blows by the state. As Tropical Storm Hermine swept ashore early Thursday, residents from Tampa to Tallahassee to Destin prepared by filling sandbags, avoiding flooded roads and by toting surfboards into the normally placid Gulf of Mexico. A tropical storm left the Big Island soggy but intact as residents prepared for the.
A tropical storm warning for Madeline in Hawaii has been canceled.
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With one storm barreling toward the island state after another, some Hawaii residents said they’re developing a special skill at preparing for storms, in a cycle of boarding up windows and then taking the protections down, again and again.
