According to the NOAA National Weather Service Advisory #44-A (NWS) issued at 8 a.m. Hawaii Time, a Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Hawaii County, meaning that tropical storm conditions are expected within 36 hours. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for all of Maui County, including the islands of Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kahoolawe, meaning that tropical storm conditions are possible within 48 hours. The same bulletin indicates that everyone in the Hawaiian Islands should monitor Darby because watches may be required for additional islands “later tonight or Saturday.”
For more on the 8 a.m. Advisory and links to additional products related to Darby, see PDC’s Tropical Cyclone Activity Report – Pacific/Indian Oceans on the Weather Wall.
Advisory 44-A says, “Darby is moving toward the west near 12 mph (19 km/h) and this motion is expected to continue through Saturday, then become northwestward Sunday. On the forecast track, the center of Darby is forecast to pass near the Big Island on Saturday and Maui on Saturday night. Maximum sustained winds are near 60 mph (95 km/h) with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast through Sunday. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 115 miles (185 km) from the center.”
In terms of surf, swells generated by Darby are expected to impact the Hawaiian Islands over the next couple of days, possibly becoming damaging along some coastlines today and Saturday.
Also, heavy rains associated with Darby are expected to reach the Big Island and portions of Maui county late Friday, potentially impacting the remainder of the state Saturday. These rains could cause life-threatening flash floods as well as rock and mud slides.
PDC and its partners at the State of Hawaii and in all counties, urge all residents to be prepared for the wind and rain, and other possible difficulties such as flooded roads, power outages, and the like. Prepare for the worst conditions you consider possible, and keep yourself and your loved ones safe.
More resources for hurricane safety and preparedness:
- Monitor Tropical Storm Darby and all hazards in the Global Hazards Atlas
- Messages and alerts from Hawaii County Civil Defense are posted here
- Maui County Civil Defense alerts can be accessed from here
- State of Hawaii Emergency Management Agency is here
- Hawaii Hazards Awareness & Resilience Program (HHARP) to enhance community resilience,
- Read about how parents can help kids learn about disaster preparedness, and
- Find out about Hawaii’s Statewide Hurricane Preparedness Exercise.
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