Olivia will take an unusual path over the Hawaiian Islands around the middle of the week, but a repeat of Lane’s historic rainfall is not expected.
Olivia, currently a tropical storm, is moving swiftly westward toward the island chain.
AccuWeather meteorologists expect Olivia to be a tropical storm by the time it reaches Hawaii later Tuesday into Wednesday night.
Rough surf will continue to build along the north- and east-facing beaches of the islands as Olivia approaches.
AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski pointed out that since Olivia is moving at a much quicker pace than Lane, this will keep rainfall totals from reaching the same historic levels.
“Rainfall amounts of 8-12 inches are possible, especially over the higher elevations of Maui and the Big Island, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 20 inches possible in the mountains,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Steve Travis said, adding that this amount of rainfall can cause flooding and mudslides.
Kottlowski said that Oahu will likely get hit with more rainfall than what Lane produced, given the path of the storm.
While the greatest impact from the storm will be heavy rain, gusty winds past 50 mph can cause minor damage, especially near the coast and in the higher elevations.
Trees that have a weakened root structure due to Lane’s deluge can be knocked over more easily in such winds. Power outages will be possible.
Motorists should be cautious on the roadways as rain and wind increases around the middle of the week, causing some streets to become flooded or blocked by trees and power lines.
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