WeatherFanatics: Hawaii May Escape Direct Hit by Ana, Not Its Impacts

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Hawaii May Escape Direct Hit by Ana, Not Its Impacts

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

October 15,2014; 9:05PM,EDT

Hawaii will still face some hazards this weekend despite likely escaping a direct hit by future Hurricane Ana.
Ana is on the verge of becoming a hurricane as it tracks westward over the warm waters of the central Pacific.
Ana will continue on that track through Thursday before taking a turn to the northwest Friday and through this weekend.
The AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center expects that turn to be gradual with an area of high pressure preventing the hurricane from curving onto or through the islands.

Such a track would keep the strongest and most destructive winds offshore. The same cannot be said for other impacts, which will spread across Hawaii in an east-to-west fashion late Friday through Sunday.
The Big Island, mainly southern areas, and Kauai are at greatest risk of experiencing flooding rainfall and tropical storm-force winds. Such winds could cause tree damage and power outages, while isolated mudslides may result.
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Based on Ana's current forecast path, downpours and winds of 40 mph could graze the other islands. Localized flash flooding and power outages would result, including in Honolulu and Hilo.
Rough and dangerous surf will develop throughout the island chain.
All residents and visitors to Hawaii should continue to check back with AccuWeather.com for the latest updates on Ana.
If Ana takes a sharper turn to the northwest, more of the Hawaiian Islands will face a greater danger of flooding rain and damaging winds.

This latest tropical threat for Hawaii follows Iselle's historic landfall on the Big Island earlier this year.
"Iselle originated in the eastern Pacific, but Ana is the second formation in the central Pacific," stated AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Andy Mussoline.
"Wali formed in July but failed to reach Hawaii as a tropical system."
AccuWeather.com Tropical Weather Expert Meteorologist Dan Kottlowski states that "it would be very rare for Hawaii to be impacted by two powerful hurricanes in one season."
While Ana will strengthen into a hurricane, it will not be a repeat of Iselle based on the current track.
"Iselle was a much stronger hurricane as it approached Hawaii and had a larger wind field that encompassed much more of the islands than what Ana is expected to produce," Kottlowski added.
More typical trade wind showers will follow Ana early next week.

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