As of 11:00 a.m. HST, Tropical Storm Olivia remains on course to impact the Hawaiian Islands starting late Tuesday night through Wednesday, with the current forecast showing the center of the storm passing over Maui County, according to the National Weather Service.
All islands statewide, however, are susceptible to experiencing high winds, heavy rainfall, flash flooding, hazardous surf conditions and coastal storm surge due to Olivia. The northeast and east shores of all islands, particularly Maui County, are expected to experience Olivia’s initial impacts.
All of the Hawaiian Islands are now under a tropical storm warning, meaning sustained winds within the range of 39 to 73 miles per hour are expected. All islands are also under a flash flood watch through Thursday, meaning conditions are favorable for flash flooding in flood-prone areas.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) is strongly advising residents and visitors to be prepared for Olivia’s onset, to heed the instructions of Hawaii’s civil defense officials, and to stay informed by following Hawaii’s news media on a continuous basis.
“Stay safe, stay indoors and don’t do anything risky until Olivia has safely passed the islands,” said George D. Szigeti, HTA president and CEO. “The National Weather Service is providing accurate, timely updates that government officials and media are closely monitoring, but we know from experience that storm conditions can change rapidly and have greater impacts than predicted.
“To Hawaii’s visitors, please follow the advice of our airline, hotel and tourism industry professionals. They are well-trained for handling this situation and can be counted on do an outstanding job in addressing the concerns and needs of guests staying in the Hawaiian Islands.”
The National Weather Service also reported Olivia is expected to continue weakening today, as the storm encounters stronger wind shear coming from the southwest. Potential rainfall expectations for Olivia were lowered to 5 to 10 inches statewide, with isolated areas possibly receiving up to 15 inches. Storm surge of 1 to 2 feet is projected, which could result in coastal flooding.
Olivia currently has maximum sustained winds of 60 miles per hour and is moving west at 17 miles per hour. As of 11:00 a.m. HST, the center of Olivia is located 220 miles east-northeast of Hilo on the island of Hawaii, 245 miles east-northeast of Hana on Maui, and 360 miles east of Honolulu on Oahu.
Residents and visitors are strongly encouraged to have access to an adequate supply of food, water, medications and essential goods and plan to shelter in place until Olivia has completed its pass of the Hawaiian Islands.
For visitors currently in Hawaii or with confirmed trips to anywhere in the Hawaiian Islands in the coming weeks, HTA advises them to stay informed about Olivia and to contact their airlines, accommodations and activity providers to see if adjustments to travel plans are needed.
To help keep residents and visitors informed, HTA has a special Alert page about Olivia on its website and is posting updates as new information becomes available. Included are links to resources for weather information, alerts posted by the State of Hawaii and four island counties, closures of parks, airline travel waivers, and news releases pertinent to Olivia.
HTA’s Alert page for Olivia can be accessed from its home page or by clicking on the link below.
https://www.hawaiitourismautho
Following are links to resources about Olivia, being prepared for its onset, and coping with weather impacts.
Weather Information
Up-to-date information about Olivia is available at the following:
National Weather Service Forecast: www.weather.gov/hawaii
Central Pacific Hurricane Center: www.weather.gov/cphc
Hurricane Preparedness: https://www.facebook.com/PrepareNOWHI/
County Alerts
Up-to-date information about Olivia’s impact to Hawaii’s four island counties is available at the following websites:
County of Hawaii: https://bit.ly/1wymub3
County of Honolulu: https://bit.ly/2MV0pFa
County of Kauai: https://bit.ly/2NXDmWZ
County of Maui: https://bit.ly/2NnELZT
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