Hurricane Hone is “gradually” moving away from the Big Island but will continue to bring gusty winds and widespread rain to the region, according to a Sunday afternoon update from the National Hurricane Center.
Hone strengthened into a hurricane overnight as it inched closer to the Big Island. By Sunday afternoon, Hone notched maximum sustained winds of up to 85 mph, making it a Category 1 storm, as it hovered about 100 miles southwest of Kailua-Kona.
The hurricane center said Hone is moving west at 8 mph and will continue in that direction for the next few days. A tropical storm warning continues to be in effect for Hawaii County.
The island’s residents could see anywhere from 6 to 12 inches of rain, and an additional 3 to 5 inches in south facing slopes, which can lead to flooding. “Life-threatening” surf can also be expected on the island Sunday, the hurricane center said.
Most of the island, including Hilo and Waimea, is covered in flash flood warnings until 12:15 p.m. local time, the hurricane center said.
At Hilo International Airport, some flights are being canceled and airlines are making “case by case decisions” on which ones will take off, according to Hawaii’s Department of Transportation.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park closed its Mauna Loa summit and coastal backcountry areas to hiking and camping due to tropical storm conditions on the island, the National Park Service said in a news release.
NBC News unearthed social media videos from the Big Island that shows trees shaking in the wind amid heavy downpour.
More than 24,000 utility customers were without power on Hawaii’s Big Island as of Sunday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.US.
