Hurricane

[emste]

We are flying out tomorrow for our Sat. cruise and I am now hearing of a hurricane possibly hitting Hawaii? Anyone heard more about this?

[whale-watcher]

Doesn't sound like it is a major threat at this point, although it is early to say where it will track:

 

http://www.weather.com/newscenter/hurricanecentral/update/index.html?from=hurricane_welcome

[TrentS]

It's suppose to hit cooler waters and weaken before it gets near the islands. Possibility of rain and higher surf is all.

 

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090805/BREAKING01/90805018/Hurricane+Felicia+intensifying++with+winds+now+up+to+125+mph+

[mianmike]

Early predictions look like it is heading straight for Hawaii.

 

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_ep3+shtml/202943.shtml?5-daynl#contents

[tourguy1]

We are flying out tomorrow for our Sat. cruise and I am now hearing of a hurricane possibly hitting Hawaii? Anyone heard more about this?

 

 

Here is the latest update on Hurricane Felicia. Supposed to be a cat 4 by tonight. http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/19825/76/

 

ETA in the Hawaii area is possibly Monday. By that time it could be a Tropical Storm. On the other hand, that is the same thing they told us about Hurricane Iniki. Turned into a cat 5 and hit us with 200mph winds. Those making comments minimizing any threat when a storm is on this track have never been through one. Keep in mind the type of ship you will be on ride these things out pretty well in open seas.

[TrentS]

I've been through 7 hurricanes in my life, Iniki in HI, and 6 in FL... The 4 and 5 day prediction/cone is almost NEVER accurate! Yes you keep it in the back of your mind and you do your basic preparations, but this far out it's simply not worth getting upset over. It's still 1700 miles away!

[minimom5]

Hi Emste,

We're also leaving tomorrow for POA cruise on Sat. I have to say that I'm also a bit concerned about the hurricane. I found some info on this web site that you might be interested in, Hawaiiweathertoday.com

At this point I'm more nervous about the flight than the hurricane though.

Will winds from the Hurricane cause any problems with the flight or is it too far away? Probably a stupid question but we don't get hurricanes here in Michigan. Thanks!

[TrentS]

They'll fly well around the hurricane. It's still too far away to cause you any concern flying tomorrow.

 

I know it looks very scary, and anything stronger than a Cat.2 IS scary, but this one is 5 days away from Hawaii and has a large area of wind shear, cooler water, and drier air that it has to pass through. That combination destroys hurricanes. All the predictions are that it will be nothing stronger than a tropical storm by that time.

 

The 4 and 5 day track predictions are almost always far off. The track is something they have a great deal of difficulty predicting, that's why the cone gets so big as it goes out.

[sparechange]

We are flying out tomorrow for our Sat. cruise and I am now hearing of a hurricane possibly hitting Hawaii? Anyone heard more about this?

 

The hurricane plane will fly into the storm on Friday and then everyone should have a better idea. The Big Island is getting ready just in case. Even a long rain event can make a big mess and lots of problems. I have my supplies ready . They stay that way.

[tourguy1]

They'll fly well around the hurricane. It's still too far away to cause you any concern flying tomorrow.

 

I know it looks very scary, and anything stronger than a Cat.2 IS scary, but this one is 5 days away from Hawaii and has a large area of wind shear, cooler water, and drier air that it has to pass through. That combination destroys hurricanes. All the predictions are that it will be nothing stronger than a tropical storm by that time.

 

The 4 and 5 day track predictions are almost always far off. The track is something they have a great deal of difficulty predicting, that's why the cone gets so big as it goes out.

 

Everyone should realize that tropical storms can be just as dangerous, flooding wise, as hurricanes. While these storms don't pack the wind punch of hurricanes, they carry a tremendous amount of water. Actually, I've seen much worse flooding on Kauai from tropical storms than I have from Hurricanes, including Iniki. Iniki went over so fast, it didn't leave that much water. So if cruising, bring your rainboots. :)))

[kapoho2]

If Felicia gets anywhere near here as a Hurrican or a Tropical Storm, I would much rather be on a cruise ship than stuck here on land. The cruise ship can turn around and head out to calm waters. There is no way the Captain of the ship wants to cruise into a storm. But, we are stuck here and will hope the storm misses us. Living where we do we figure the high swell and power outages will be our biggest problems. Meanwhile, we are taking all the precautions we can. Hopefully this will be a non-event...but we will be ready.

[West Maui]

Everyone should realize that tropical storms can be just as dangerous, flooding wise, as hurricanes. While these storms don't pack the wind punch of hurricanes, they carry a tremendous amount of water. Actually, I've seen much worse flooding on Kauai from tropical storms than I have from Hurricanes, including Iniki. Iniki went over so fast, it didn't leave that much water. So if cruising, bring your rainboots. :)))

 

Tour Guy is right on with this. The winds will vary depending on location, the mountains, etc, even if a storm is "not" a storm. The rains can be very heavy-and for those hiking stream or waterfall areas, very dangerous. The islands are very good at issuing flash flood advisories and warnings, which I'm sure the ship will post for you.

 

Another concern will possibly be the surf conditions. Again, even if Felicia dissipates, we will likely see some rough and high surf conditions. Please, please do not take such warnings or the red flags at beaches lightly. They are for your safety and welfare. A broken collarbone, shoulder, or worse is not the way to end your visit!!!

 

As to the predictions.........who knows? We are watchful but not terrorized! A few years ago, a hurricane named Daniel became a laughing matter, after some officials on Maui panicked---and he went away by many, many miles. Many years ago, we were supposed to have a terrible tsunami..........again, the County issued evacuation orders, the roads clogged totally (we couldn't have left even if we wanted to), the store shelves emptied--and the eventual wave was about 4 feet above normal! We made tshirts that said "I tsurvived the tsunami that wasn't". (okay, bad pun, it was my mom's idea..).

 

I guess what I am trying to say is that these events can be deadly, no question. However, sometimes only time will tell and luckily there are ample resources for good warnings and communication.

[West Maui]

Good morning,

Felicia has been downgraded to a Category 2 hurricane, as of about 5 am our time. She is still quite large, and obviously needs to be treated with respect, but the forecasters' plans seem to be working.:)

 

She will cross into our waters---and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center's watch--by tomorrow. If you wish to track her and read the official forecasts, go to NOAA and then to the hurricane tab.

 

Surf is still expected to be dangerous and heavy rains are currently predicted.

[Lionesss]

After being on vacation in WDW for Hurricaine Charlie, I feel for both the travelers and the locals that could endure hardship if a Hurricaine would hit.

My prayers that the storm fizzles out.

Safety to you.

[tourguy1]

After being on vacation in WDW for Hurricaine Charlie, I feel for both the travelers and the locals that could endure hardship if a Hurricaine would hit.

My prayers that the storm fizzles out.

 

Safety to you.

This latest update came out a half hour ago, at 5pm hawaii time, Friday. Hurricane Felicia, which had been dwindling, has now begun to pick up steam again. The eye has reformed and it is still on a straight line track for Hawaii. Weather service is now changing its' tune on what the strength of this storm could be by ETA of Monday. At this time, it doesn't see anything that might change its' course. :eek: All we can do is cross our fingers.

[West Maui]

Aloha,

 

She has weakened again, now down to a Category 1 Hurricane. As of 5 AM our time, she was a little more than 900 miles from Hilo. She will reportedly go up and down some over the next 24-48 hours, due to a high pressure system and wind shear effects. All the forecasters are still saying she will wind up as a tropical storm or even depression by the time she makes landfall. We sure hope they are right!

 

There is a statewide pre-flood warning up already, and the Big Island has announced the closing of some beaches starting Sunday afternoon, in an effort to minimize risks. Flooding continues to be the biggest publicity issue.

 

The Central Pacific Hurricane Center is supposed to issue its first analysis and forecasts by 11 AM Hawaii time.

 

Thanks for the good wishes...and I hope those visiting have a great time despite Felicia's activities!

[tourguy1]

Aloha,

 

She has weakened again, now down to a Category 1 Hurricane. As of 5 AM our time, she was a little more than 900 miles from Hilo. She will reportedly go up and down some over the next 24-48 hours, due to a high pressure system and wind shear effects. All the forecasters are still saying she will wind up as a tropical storm or even depression by the time she makes landfall. We sure hope they are right!

 

There is a statewide pre-flood warning up already, and the Big Island has announced the closing of some beaches starting Sunday afternoon, in an effort to minimize risks. Flooding continues to be the biggest publicity issue.

 

The Central Pacific Hurricane Center is supposed to issue its first analysis and forecasts by 11 AM Hawaii time.

 

Thanks for the good wishes...and I hope those visiting have a great time despite Felicia's activities!

 

And for those of you who are on the ship, no need to worry. It will be just like an amusement park ride. The Rock and Roller :D Have fun!

[sparechange]

My husband and I went shopping in Hilo all day today (from Kona). You would never know they were getting ready for a storm. Everything -even on Hilo Bay front street was just as it always is on a Saturday. The farmers market was packed-not a parking place to be found downtown. Walmart was packed-Prince Kuhio Shopping Center packed. Now I am sure some were buying supplies just in case but overall I think it was just a normal day in Hilo where the storm is suppose to come in. It was hard for me to believe it wasn't raining. It was a beautiful day. The ocean didn't look rough. What a difference a day will make as the storm moves in. I tried out my new binoculars at one of the scenic pull offs. I was ready to send them back when Bob pointed out I needed to turn them around the other way (Blonde moment oops) then they were wonderful. He got a good laugh out of that.

 

We were actually buying things for our Alaska cruise in 3 weeks. My husband bought a nice suit. I have most of what I need already but getting him out to buy the suit was a major accomplishment. I am celebrating with a cocktail on my lanai right now. It's still 86 degrees at 5:35pm. Will miss my weather for a week while we are in Alaska but sure am ready for some beautiful scenery and relaxation.

 

Will update the Hilo-Kona weather when there is something new to report.

 

Aloha

[editor@cruisecritic]

Very glad for all that Felicia seems to be behaving --

 

Just wanted to give you a heads up -- Cruise Critic's Hurricane Zone is also following and covering any impact Felicia will have so please bookmark this page for updates: http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/hurricane.cfm.

 

Thanks.

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

 

 

Good morning,

Felicia has been downgraded to a Category 2 hurricane, as of about 5 am our time. She is still quite large, and obviously needs to be treated with respect, but the forecasters' plans seem to be working.:)

 

She will cross into our waters---and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center's watch--by tomorrow. If you wish to track her and read the official forecasts, go to NOAA and then to the hurricane tab.

 

Surf is still expected to be dangerous and heavy rains are currently predicted.

[milolii]

My husband and I went shopping in Hilo all day today (from Kona). You would never know they were getting ready for a storm. Everything -even on Hilo Bay front street was just as it always is on a Saturday. The farmers market was packed-not a parking place to be found downtown. Walmart was packed-Prince Kuhio Shopping Center packed. Now I am sure some were buying supplies just in case but overall I think it was just a normal day in Hilo where the storm is suppose to come in. It was hard for me to believe it wasn't raining. It was a beautiful day. The ocean didn't look rough. What a difference a day will make as the storm moves in. I tried out my new binoculars at one of the scenic pull offs. I was ready to send them back when Bob pointed out I needed to turn them around the other way (Blonde moment oops) then they were wonderful. He got a good laugh out of that.

 

We were actually buying things for our Alaska cruise in 3 weeks. My husband bought a nice suit. I have most of what I need already but getting him out to buy the suit was a major accomplishment. I am celebrating with a cocktail on my lanai right now. It's still 86 degrees at 5:35pm. Will miss my weather for a week while we are in Alaska but sure am ready for some beautiful scenery and relaxation.

 

Will update the Hilo-Kona weather when there is something new to report.

 

Aloha

 

 

Sparechange

 

We have a house down in Milolii. I would be very interested in Big Island updates. Our homeowners association manager is stating winds of up to 40 mph and rain. Take care.

[sparechange]

Sparechange

 

We have a house down in Milolii. I would be very interested in Big Island updates. Our homeowners association manager is stating winds of up to 40 mph and rain. Take care.

 

Will keep you posted. I just hope the darn thing moves fast off the island. We could all use rain -just not all at once.

 

Aloha

[milolii]

Will keep you posted. I just hope the darn thing moves fast off the island. We could all use rain -just not all at once.

 

Aloha

 

 

Mahalo, Good luck

[kapoho2]

sparechange...Isn't it strange?.....We go to Kona to shop about once a month. You know....Costco, Petco and now that gorgeous new Target. We walked into Target for the first time last week and we were so over whelmed....we just walked out without buying a thing. We are hoping to do an Alaskan cruise next summer, but I have no idea where we are going to find warmer clothing.

 

I will also post updates from here on the easternmost point of the Big Island as Felicia starts approaching. They are closing all the beaches on this side of the island at 2:30pm this afternoon. I think it is going to be mostly a high surf and rain event, but I am stacking the lanai furniture and moving it to the leeward side of the house today just in case.

 

More later.

[West Maui]

Aloha,

The Central Pacific Hurricane Center has just issued an intermediate advisory on Felicia. The reported sustained wind speed has dropped to 55 MPH, with higher gusts. The winds extend outward over 100 miles from the storm, and it is about 500 miles from Hilo. We remain, in Big Island and all of Maui County, under a Tropical Storm Watch.

 

The whole state is under a Flash Flood warning...some forecasters are predicting as much as a foot of rain. If only, as one poster said, it wouldn't fall all at once!:(

 

The next full advisory is slated for 11AM Hawaii time.

[sparechange]

sparechange...Isn't it strange?.....We go to Kona to shop about once a month. You know....Costco, Petco and now that gorgeous new Target. We walked into Target for the first time last week and we were so over whelmed....we just walked out without buying a thing. We are hoping to do an Alaskan cruise next summer, but I have no idea where we are going to find warmer clothing.

 

I will also post updates from here on the easternmost point of the Big Island as Felicia starts approaching. They are closing all the beaches on this side of the island at 2:30pm this afternoon. I think it is going to be mostly a high surf and rain event, but I am stacking the lanai furniture and moving it to the leeward side of the house today just in case.

 

More later.

 

We ordered most everything on-line-hooded sweatshirts-gloves-ear warmers-we have an aft cabin so hoping to stay warm enough on it to do lots of scenery viewing ---they say on the Alaska list that you can buy jackets with hoods for $20-30 in some of the ports so banking on that-as you know we don't have "coats" here. Was so surprised yesterday in Hilo at Sears they had a gazillion pairs of nice dress pants (DH is going the suit route for formal nites instead of tux) and not ONE suit coat to go with any of the slacks. Sooo went to Macy's -they did have some nice ones and on sale even tho the coat and pants were still $300 with tax. Oh well. Next year pre-christmas we are doing the Mexican Riveria on the Sapphire so he will already have a suit.

 

Stay safe and yes we better all bring in our patio furniture.

 

Aloha