Hawaii is bracing for a weekend of extreme weather as Hurricane Nolo approaches the islands, threatening areas still in the process of recovering from previous storm damage. As of Saturday, the storm was moving slowly south of the Big Island with maximum sustained winds of 105mph (165km/h). The center of the hurricane was positioned approximately 145 miles (235km) south of the state’s southernmost point, with forecasters warning that it could intensify into a catastrophic and life-threatening event throughout the weekend.
National Hurricane Center director Michael Brennan urged caution on Friday, advising residents to avoid unnecessary travel due to the risks of flash flooding and powerful winds, which could bring down power lines and trees. Rainfall totals on the Big Island could reach up to 20in (51cm), with heavy rain also expected across the rest of the Hawaiian islands. In response, President Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration for Hawaii on Friday, authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide funding and coordinate federal assistance. Governor-level emergency proclamations have also been issued, activating hundreds of Hawaii National Guard members.
Local officials on the Big Island are encouraging residents in flood-prone areas to consider moving to designated shelters. Meanwhile, recovery efforts from August’s Hurricane Lala continue; that storm caused significant damage, sweeping approximately 100 homes off their foundations. The humanitarian non-profit Community Organized Relief Effort (Core) and its partners have spent the week air-shipping supplies, including hygiene products and camp stoves, from Oahu to the Big Island to support existing relief hubs. Additionally, Hawaiian Electric has relocated utility crews from Kauai—where they were assisting with recovery from this month’s Hurricane Lowell—to Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island to prepare for potential outages.
Simultaneously, Mexico is facing the threat of Hurricane Polo as it tracks toward the Baja California peninsula. On Saturday, the storm was producing maximum sustained winds of 155mph (249km/h), though meteorologists expect it to weaken before making landfall on Monday. In the small fishing town of San Juanico, residents are concerned about the lack of official support. Gloriely Robles Meza, a local hotel manager, stated that the community feels left to prepare on its own, noting that the town lacks reliable electricity and fuel, and that the only current plan is to convert the local elementary school into a shelter. Long-time resident Jeffrey Westman expressed concern that washed-out roads could isolate the town, preventing food deliveries and blocking access to the nearest medical facility in Ciudad Constitución, which is 80 minutes away.
The town has only had full-time electricity for a couple of years, and it still experiences frequent outages. Without power, residents can’t refrigerate food or pump water. The closest gas station is so far away that fuel is stored and sold from tanks in the town and frequently runs out if there is high demand.
