World

Hawaii requests presidential disaster declaration as Lane nears

Published

August 22, 2018

Hawaii Governor David Ige urged residents Wednesday to prepare at least a weeks’ worth of supplies ahead of Hurricane Lane, now a Category 4 cyclone with fierce winds of up to 157 mph (253 kph). that could make landfall in the islands in the coming days.

Governor Ige said government offices would be closed Thursday and Friday, as the storm packing heavy winds and torrential rains approaches the state. “I just want to remind everyone to prepare to shelter in place with 14 days of food and supplies and water,” he said at a news conference.”

The Category 4 storm poses a threat to the state from Thursday through Saturday, with flooding rain, battering surf, coastal flooding and high winds possible. A hurricane warning has been posted for the Big Island of Hawaii and Maui County, meaning that hurricane conditions are expected within the warning area.

At 1:48am ET, one of our NASA Earth satellites flew over the Pacific Ocean & Hurricane Lane to analyze rainfall rates & cloud heights within the Category 5 storm. As Lane moves toward Hawaii.

NASA

A hurricane watch has been issued for Kauai County and Oahu, including the city of Honolulu. This means hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area, and a watch is typically issued 48 hours before the onset of tropical-storm-force winds, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center.

Maximum sustained winds are near 150 mph (240 kmh) with higher gusts. Hurricane Lane is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. A steady weakening trend is forecast to begin today, but Lane is expected to remain a dangerous hurricane as it approaches the islands.

Requested Presidential Disaster Declaration – if the storm hits us hard, the state could need help from the federal government HurricaneLane HiGov Hinews F8Q27htbYx

— Governor David Ige (@GovHawaii) August 22, 2018

As of 2:00 p.m. HST, the minimum central pressure of the storm was 937 MB or 27.67 inches. The storm is expected to make a gradual turn toward the northwest is expected tonight, followed by a more northward motion, at 8 mph (13 kmh) on Thursday.

Lane’s outer rain bands are already drenching parts of the Big Island. Rainfall rates upwards of 1 to 2 inches per hour are possible in these rain bands, according to the National Weather Service in Honolulu.

In this article:category 4, disaster declaration, Environment, Hawaii, Hurricane Lane, northwestward path

Written By Karen Graham

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our dear friend Karen Graham, who served as Editor-at-Large at Digital Journal. She was 78 years old. Karen's view of what is happening in our world was colored by her love of history and how the past influences events taking place today. Her belief in humankind's part in the care of the planet and our environment has led her to focus on the need for action in dealing with climate change. It was said by Geoffrey C. Ward, "Journalism is merely history's first draft." Everyone who writes about what is happening today is indeed, writing a small part of our history.