Hawaii hurricane warning now includes Maui, Kauai, and Oahu

Honolulu, HAWAII — Maui County is now under a hurricane warning as Douglas closes in on the islands early Sunday.

Meanwhile, Kauai and Oahu are also under a hurricane warning.

With it, its bringing the threat of damaging winds, flooding rains, and large surf at a time when the islands are also grappling with a worrisome surge in COVID-19 infections.

• A hurricane warning means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours.
• The Big Island and Maui County (Maui, Lanai and Molokai) remain under a tropical storm warning, which means tropical storm conditions are expected within 36 hours.
• A hurricane watch has been canceled for Hawaii County.

 

 

At 5 a.m. Sunday, Douglas was holding on as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 90 mph and higher gusts. It was located about 145 miles east of Kahului, and 235 miles east of Honolulu.

[Read more: Here’s a look at the potential impacts of Douglas on Oahu]

A worker puts reinforcements on boarded storefront windows in the Waikiki neighborhood of Honolulu, Saturday, July 25, 2020, as Hurricane Douglas approaches. President Donald Trump issued an emergency declaration for Hawaii on Saturday because of Douglas, directing federal assistance to supplement state and local response efforts. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)

When Douglas nears Oahu and Kauai Sunday into Monday, it is forecast to be at hurricane strength as either a weak Category 1, or a very strong tropical storm.

The hurricane is experiencing a slow but gradual weakening as it tracks west-northwest near 16 mph. It will likely remain at Category 1 strength for most if not all of Sunday.

The Central Pacific Hurricane Center said hurricane-force winds from Douglas extend outward up to 25 miles from the center of the storm, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles.