Hurricane Nolo stays Category 4 southwest of Hawaii, surf warnings issued
Category 4 Hurricane Nolo remains over 400 miles southwest of Honolulu with winds near 155 mph, prompting surf and small-craft advisories while forecasts show it turning northward away from the islands.
Hurricane Nolo continued to track west-northwest about 410 miles southwest of Honolulu early Thursday, maintaining maximum sustained winds of 155 mph and a Category 4 intensity. The storm’s hurricane-force winds extend roughly 40 miles from its center, with tropical-storm-force winds reaching out 150 miles.
A hurricane warning covers the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument from Nihoa to French Frigate Shoals, and officials expect hurricane-strength conditions there by Wednesday, with tropical-storm conditions possible as early as Tuesday. The National Weather Service in Honolulu projects the cyclone will pass about 200 miles west of Niihau and Kauai on Tuesday, keeping its core well away from the main Hawaiian Islands.
Moisture trailing Nolo could bring 1–2 inches of rain to Kauai, Niihau and possibly Oahu from Tuesday night into Wednesday, though significant flooding is not anticipated. Forecasts call for sunny, breezy conditions on the islands, with high temperatures between 86 and 92 °F.
The storm is generating large swells, prompting a high surf advisory until 6 p.m. for south-facing shores of the main islands and west-facing shores of the Big Island. Expected wave heights are 7–10 feet on south-facing coasts and 6–8 feet on the Big Island’s west side.
"Heed all advice from ocean safety officials," weather officials said. "When in doubt, don’t go out."
A small-craft advisory remains in effect for many coastal waters through early Tuesday, with east winds up to 30 knots and seas up to 12 feet. Wind advisories for parts of Maui, Molokai, Oahu and the Big Island were lifted as winds eased.
Forecasters note that Nolo has likely peaked in intensity and that increasing wind shear is expected to weaken the hurricane later today and through the middle of the week. A separate tropical disturbance, Invest 91E, located east-southeast of the islands, has a 90 % chance of developing into a tropical cyclone within 48 hours, though it is projected to remain well east of Hawaii.