KAILUA-KONA — Darby showed no sign of relent as the tropical storm closed in on Hilo Friday evening.
And, based on its current track — after not making a turn north-northwest as expected — West Hawaii is not out of the woods on this one, unlike with what occurred with Tropical Storm Iselle in 2014. Wind and rain are in the forecast through Sunday before the storm moves away from the island toward Maui.
“You’ll see some winds, especially toward the end of Saturday. They’ll be some pretty good winds, you could see 30-40-plus mph. They may not be tropical storm-strength winds but they will be close,” Chevy Chevalier, a meteorologist with the Central Pacific Hurricane Center on Oahu, said about the storm’s potential impact on the leeward side.
West Hawaii can expect several inches of rain to fall through Sunday evening as Darby, which was located 235 miles east-southeast of Kailua-Kona at 8p.m. Friday, passes near or very close to Hilo and the Hamakua Coast. The worst of the weather is expected today from Hamakua to Puna.
“You guys probably need it,” said Chevalier. “It’s going not going to be nearly as bad as the east side, but flooding can be issue, especially flood prone areas, because there’s a lot of rain with this.”
Darby, once a Category 3 hurricane, was barreling west toward the Big Island’s eastern side at 12 mph while packing 60 mph winds Friday night. A tropical storm warning, high surf warning and flash flood remain in effect for Hawaii County through Sunday. Wave heights of 15 to 25 feet are forecast for east-facing shores.
The storm’s center was just 180 miles east-southeast of Hilo as night took over Friday. Winds, forecast to reach 50-60 mph with gusts up to 70 mph, were expected to pick up overnight with rain moving in Saturday morning.
“The highest winds for Hilo are expected this afternoon. From around noon to 3 p.m., that’s when Hilo will be seeing the worst of it and then over the next couple of the hours it will move along the east coast,” Chevalier said. Rainfall estimates are between 10 and 15 inches for eastern and southern slopes through Sunday evening.
The chance for damaging tropical storm conditions at Hilo was 71 percent, 62 percent at Pohakuloa Training Area, 35 percent at South Point, and 49 percent at Kailua-Kona.
On its current track, which was nudged south Friday, Darby is forecast to be packing 50 mph winds about 75 miles east of Kailua-Kona 5 p.m. Saturday and about 40 miles north of Kailua-Kona Sunday afternoon. Darby was expected to maintain tropical storm strength as it passes. Weather should improve by Monday, Chavelier said.
“It could shift to the south, it could shift to the north — that would be best — but the more it shifts to the south, the more of a concern it is to the west side,” Chevalier cautioned. “Watch the track, don’t focus on the center, it’s the whole track where it could go.
“Don’t let your guard down, it certainly could change track.”
Anticipating the storm’s arrival, the county opened more than a dozen emergency shelters islandwide Friday afternoon. In West Hawaii, pet-friendly shelters included Kealakehe, Konawaena and Ka’u high schools, and Honokaa High and Intermediate schools. Waikoloa Elementary School and Kohala High and Elementary schools also opened but are unable to accommodate pets.
Also Friday, Mayor Billy Kenoi signed a 60-day emergency proclamation allowing that gives the county easier access to county emergency resources and suspending certain laws as needed for emergency purposes ahead of the storm’s arrival.
All county and state beach parks will be closed until further notice, and county camping and pvilion reservations have been cancelled. In addition, the county closed the Kalapana Lava Viewing Area, Panaewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens and all swimming pools through Sunday.
Umauma Bridge on Highway 11 will be closed starting at midnight Saturday,with a detour through Old Mamalahoa Highway.
Hele-On Bus service is suspended and will resume based on road and weather conditions.
Puuhonua O Honaunau and Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical parks and Puukohola National Historical Site will be closed through at least today. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park closed some sections of the park, including all backcountry areas and Kulanaokuaiki Campground and Namakanipaio Cabins and Campgrounds, among others. Visit www.nps.gov/havo for the latest closure information.
Popular tourist areas, such as Thurston Lava Tube, Kilauea Visitor Center and Jaggar Museum were to remain open.