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Tropical Storm Flossie arrival on Hawaii Island imminent
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by Big Island Video News
on Jul 28, 2013 at 11:12 pm

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STORY SUMMARY

UPDATE (2:55 a.m.) – Things have stayed the same after the National Weather Service update at 2 a.m. Flossie is now less than 165 miles east of Hilo, moving towards the island at 16 miles per hour. Maximum sustained winds have held at 50 miles per hour. We can report at this hour that Hilo […]

Flossie nears Hawaii Island. (Courtesy NOAA, Central Pacific Visible Loop)

Flossie nears Hawaii Island. (Courtesy NOAA, Central Pacific Visible Loop)

UPDATE (2:55 a.m.) – Things have stayed the same after the National Weather Service update at 2 a.m. Flossie is now less than 165 miles east of Hilo, moving towards the island at 16 miles per hour. Maximum sustained winds have held at 50 miles per hour.

We can report at this hour that Hilo is calm, with little wind, and very little rain. The coqui frogs, on the other hand, are quite loud.


HILO, Hawaii – In just a few hours, the Big Island of Hawaii should be feeing the effects of Tropical Storm Flossie.

The storm is now 200 miles east of Hilo. It has weakened a bit, as predicted. Flossie now packs maximum sustained winds of 50 miles per hour, as opposed to 60 mph from the last update at 8 p.m.

In its 11 p.m. update, the National Weather Service says:

National Weather ServiceNational Weather Service

“Goes satellite imagery over the past 6 hours has shown a steady decrease in cold cloud tops near the center of Flossie. This trend has continued since 0600 utc and the latest imagery seems to be showing an exposed low level circulation center emerging south of the remaining cold cloud tops. It appears the center may be southwest of the positions from the synoptic time Dvorak fixes and the 0600 utc bulletin positions reflect this.

Flossie continues to move into an unfavorable environment… With dry air aloft and northerly shear associated with an anticyclone aloft northwest of the system. With no deep convection persisting near the center of the system… Continued weakening is expected.

Track guidance remains tightly clustered in the short term… Showing Flossie near the Big Island Monday morning. Guidance then shows the track shifting toward the west northwest as the anticyclone aloft shifts east and the steering flow shifts out of the east southeast.”

What does that mean for Hawaii Island on Monday?

According to the National Weather Service:

National Weather ServiceNational Weather Service

“Wind… Tropical storm conditions are expected to reach the Big Island late tonight… Maui County Monday morning and Oahu Monday night. Tropical storm conditions are possible on Kauai and Niihau Monday night… Lasting into Tuesday.

Rainfall… Heavy rainfall is expected to begin as early as Monday morning over Hawaii County and Monday afternoon over Maui County… With heavy rain spreading to Oahu by Monday night. Flossie is expected to produce total rainfall amounts of 6 to 10 inches over the Big Island and Maui County… With isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches possible… Mainly windward. Rainfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches are possible over Oahu… With isolated maximum amounts of 12 inches possible… Mainly windward. This rainfall could cause life-threatening flash floods and mud slides… Especially in the mountains.

Surf… Dangerously high surf is starting to hammer east facing shores of the Big Island. Surf will build overnight… With the largest surf expected Monday into Tuesday. The big surf may cause coastal road closures… Even before the storm arrives. Please see the latest hurricane local statement for information specific to your area.”

The new track puts Flossie dead center over Hawaii Island.

Courtesy National Weather Service

Courtesy National Weather Service

There is something of a mystery regarding how the center of the island will impact the storm track. Flossie will go head to head with Mauna Kea. Even the National Weather Service takes note in their 11 p.m. discussion:

National Weather ServiceNational Weather Service

“One factor which remains uncertain is the impact of Flossie moving near… Or perhaps directly over… The high terrain of the Big Island of Hawaii. However… We expect Flossie to be a much weaker system at that point.”

Since our last update at 9 p.m. we have learned that Hawaii County Mass Transit is being shut down Monday. Civil Defense says all Mass transit Operations will be suspended effective midnight tonight. Bus routes will be restablished as weather conditions permit.

Also: CLOSED for Monday

  • All solid waste transfer stations including Hilo and Puuanahulu landfills
  • All county parks and beach parks, as well as all state beach parks.
  • All non-essential county meetings and council hearings cancelled for Monday and Tuesday.

County Evacuation Shelters

Evacuation Shelters will be open by 4:00 Am tomorrow at the following sites: Pahoa Community Center, Aunty Sally”s Luau Hale, Laupahoehoe Charter School, Honokaa Sports Complex, Waimea Community Center, Hisaoka Gym in North Kohala, Mt. View School, Pahala Community Center, West Hawaii Civic Center.

Employees asked to stay home

In an effort to insure the safety of, and reduce the risk to employees, employers are encouraged to limit staffing to essential employees only. The County of Hawaii will be directing all non essential employees to remain home and County operations will be adjusted for emergency operations.

Big Island’s state courthouses closed Monday

From the Hawaii State Judiciary:

State courthouses on the Big Island will be closed on Monday, July 29 due to Tropical Storm Flossie.Court hearings scheduled for Monday will be rescheduled to a later date. The Supreme Court will issue an order extending by one day, any Big Island court matter with a filing or hearing due date of July 29.

All Big Island courthouses will reopen on Tuesday morning.

Courthouses in Oahu, Maui, and Kauai counties will be open on Monday as scheduled.

YWCA Closed

YWCA of Hawaii Island facilities and offices will be closed Monday, July 29, due to concerns over Tropical Storm Flossie.

“We are following the lead of Hawaii County, which called for all non-essential workers to stay at home,” said Kathleen McGilvray, YWCA of Hawaii Island CEO.

The sexual assault crisis hotline will be available as long as phones are operational.

County Emergency Proclamation

We have also learned that Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi has signed his own Emergency Proclamation. Here’s the fine print:

WHEREAS, Chapter 127, Hawai‘i Revised Statutes, as amended, and Chapter 128, Hawai‘i Revised Statutes, as amended, provide for the establishment of County organizations for disaster relief with a deputy director in charge of each political subdivision; andWHEREAS, the Mayor of the County of Hawai‘i has been appointed as the Deputy Director of Civil Defense of the County of Hawai‘i; and

WHEREAS, Chapter 7, Articles 1 and 2 of the Hawai‘i County Code, establishes a Civil Defense Agency within the County of Hawai‘i and prescribes its powers, duties, and responsibilities, and Section 13 23 of the Hawai‘i County Charter empowers the Mayor of the County to declare emergencies; and

WHEREAS, the National Weather Service at 5:00 P.M. on July 27, 2013 issued a Watch for Tropical Storm Flossie Advisory Number 13 advising that Tropical Storm Flossie had entered Hawaiian waters and was located at 770 miles east of Hilo, Hawai‘i as a Tropical Storm with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and higher gusts; and

WHEREAS, the National Weather Service at 11:00 P.M. on July 27, 2013 issued Tropical Storm Advisory Number 14 upgrading its Advisory to a Warning for Hawaii and Maui County and continuing this Warning in Tropical Storm Advisory 16 on July 28, 2013 with maximum sustained wind of 60 mph and higher gusts; and

WHEREAS, a Tropical Storm Warning means that possible tropical storm conditions can occur any time within the next 36 hours; and

WHEREAS, conditions associated with tropical storms include but are not limited to storm surge, high surf, wind and rain may occur; and;

WHEREAS, due to the possibility of property damage and/or bodily injury to residents of Hawai`i Island, and the need for government agencies and representatives from the private sector to mobilize and provide immediate services to our island residents, a Civil Defense state of emergency is authorized pursuant to Chapters 127 and 128, Hawai`i Revised Statutes, as amended, and Chapter 7, Hawai`i County Code.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM P. KENOI, Mayor of the County of Hawai‘i, do hereby proclaim and declare that a state of emergency exits on the Hawai‘i Island, effective 1:00 P.M., July 28, 2013, and continuing thereon until further act by this office.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the County of Hawai‘i to be affixed. Done this 28th day of July 28, 2013 in Hilo, Hawai‘i.

WIILIAM P. KENOI
Mayor
County of Hawai‘i


Filed Under: Feature Tagged With: Flossie, tropical storm

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