A Hurricane Warning has been issued for Hawaii County.

All Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) schools and offices on Hawaii Island and in Maui County will be closed Wednesday, Aug. 22, until further notice, in anticipation of dangerous storm conditions from Hurricane Lane.

At 500 PM HST (0300 UTC), the center of Hurricane Lane was located near latitude 14.5 North, longitude 154.0 West. Lane is moving toward the west-northwest near 9 mph (15 km/h) and this motion is expected to continue tonight. A turn toward the northwest is expected on Wednesday, followed by a turn to the north-northwest on Thursday. 

On the forecast track, the center of Lane will move very close to or over the main Hawaiian Islands from Thursday through Saturday.
 Maximum sustained winds are near 155 mph (250 km/h) with higher gusts.  Lane is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.  Slow weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours, but Lane is forecast to remain a dangerous hurricane as it draws closer to the Hawaiian Islands.
 
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 40 miles (65 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 km).
 
The estimated minimum central pressure is 929 mb (27.44 inches). A Hurricane Warning has been issued for Hawaii County. 

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for Maui County…including the islands of Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kahoolawe

A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area. A warning is typically issued 36 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm- force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous. Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.

 A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous.

Interests elsewhere in the main Hawaiian Islands, and across the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, should continue to closely monitor the progress of Hurricane Lane. Additional Tropical Storm or Hurricane Watches or Warnings may be issued tonight or Wednesday.

 

For storm information specific to your area, please monitor

products issued by the National Weather Service office in

Honolulu Hawaii.