Hurricane Lester was located about 260 miles east of Honolulu on Saturday morning, moving west-northwest at about 16 mph, National Weather Service meteorologist Derek Wroe said.
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Similar to Madeline, Lester is also forecast to weaken to a minimal hurricane or strong tropical storm by the time it makes its closest approach to the islands, according to AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski. But he says campers should get ready for a wet weekend.
If Lester tracks farther south and makes landfall on the Big Island of Hawaii as a hurricane, it would be the first hurricane to do so in recorded history.
Hurricane Lester appeared well-developed and had a clear eye in imagery from the MODIS instrument or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite.
The storm, moving about 14 miles per hour, isn’t expected to make landfall but will still bring winds, rain and a possible storm surge through the weekend.
“Our island is small enough that an event of this size could impact all areas”, said Maui County Emergency Management Officer Anna Foust. Hurricane Lester remains on track to impact the islands this weekend, but possibly after being downgraded to a tropical storm.
Forecasters urged the public not to focus on the exact projected track.
The National Weather Service in Honolulu has issued a wind advisory.
After it was downgraded from a hurricane, Tropical Storm Madeline left parts of Hawaii’s Big Island soggy but intact Thursday as residents of the island state prepared for a second round of potentially volatile tropical weather.
Schools, courts and government offices are closing at noon Friday to give people time to prepare for the storm.
Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi said Thursday that there were no reports of damages to schools.
Inge’s spokeswoman, Cindy McMillan, said that while the storm had taken a turn to the north, away from the islands, “we’re still monitoring and preparing for contingencies”.
Lester is on track to blow by Hawaii on Saturday and Sunday, running north of the island chain and parallel to the islands.
While state parks will remain open during the day, the gates at Oahu’s Makua Beach (Kaena Point State Park), which normally open at 2 p.m. But he says it’s likely to remain a hurricane as it passes the islands over the weekend. But the campgrounds and coastal lava viewing remain closed as Lester approaches.
Madeline knocked out power to thousands of residents Wednesday, but Hawaii Electric Light Co. had restored service to all about two dozen residents by Thursday morning. Rainfall from Madeline totaled more than 8 inches at Saddle Quarry, 6 inches in Glenwood in Puna and more than 5 inches in the Hilo communities of Piihonua and Waiakea Uka in the 24 hours ending at 11 a.m. Thursday.
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This photo shows a fence broken by storm surge from Tropical Storm Madeline at an oceanfront home in Kapoho, Hawaii, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016.
