Hurricane Madeline showed power as it churned toward Hawaii Tuesday, peaking at a risky Category Four strength before slackening, USA weather officials said.
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Residents of Hawaii’s Big Island on Tuesday were warned on Tuesday of an encroaching hurricane expected to bring strong winds and heavy rains, while weather forecasters told Floridians to prepare for a tropical system later in the week.
Hawaiian Airlines passengers with tickets to or from the Big Island Wednesday or Thursday will be granted a free reservation change if the new itinerary includes a flight on or before September 5.
A Hurricane Warning was issued for the Big Island on Tuesday.
Timelapse footage from the station shows Hurricanes Lester and Madeleine in the Pacific Ocean and Hurricane Gaston in the Atlantic.
Madeline threatens to disrupt a planned visit by President Barack Obama and other dignitaries to Hawaii for the World Conservation Congress, a major meeting of thousands of delegates, including heads of state, scientists and policy makers. Hurricane-force winds extend 30 miles from the center and tropical storm-force winds go out 125 miles from the center.
“There’s always a lot of disbelief on the island that the storms will really be as big and bad as forecast”, Beckett said.
If the track of the storm shifts slightly to the north it could be the first hurricane to make landfall in Hawaii since 1992.
The White House is tracking the weather developments closely, but it doesn’t anticipate changing Obama’s schedule.
The second Pacific hurricane, not far behind Madeline, is Lester which also falls under Category-3.
Hawaii County, which covers the Big Island, urged residents to stock up with food, water, flashlights, batteries and first aid supplies.
At 0900 GMT Wednesday, Madeline was a Category One storm with maximum sustained winds around 90 miles (145 kilometers) per hour with higher gusts.
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Hawaii County has recommended residents create evacuation plans and secure outdoor furniture.
