The Tropical Storm Hone Hawaiian archipelago is expected to experience intense rain and strong winds this weekend. At the same time, we are monitoring the evolution of a hurricane, Gilma, in the Pacific.
Tropical Storm Hone to Bring Strong Winds and Heavy Rain to Hawaii
A new Tropical Storm Hone is expected to bring strong winds and heavy rain to Hawaii this weekend, especially to the Big Island and Maui, as it passes south of the archipelago.
Named Tropical Storm Hone, meaning “soft and tender” in Hawaiian (pronounced hoe-NEH), the storm is expected to bring sustained winds of 20 to 30 mph and gusts of 50 mph to Maui and the Big Island . Slightly lighter winds are forecast for Oahu and Kauai.
The East Coast and southeastern Big Island are expected to receive 10 to 20 centimeters of rain between Saturday evening and Sunday evening. Maui could inherit 5 to 10 centimeters of rain.
Nothing is sure
These forecasts could change depending on the track of the storm. Early Friday, it was about 1,078 kilometers east-southeast of Hilo and about 1,416 kilometers east-southeast of Honolulu. It was moving westward at 26 km/h with maximum sustained winds of 72 km/h.
Laura Farris, a weather service meteorologist in Honolulu, said drier air was also expected this weekend in the western end of the state, presenting some concerns about fire danger. “But it’s not even close to what we saw last year,” says the expert.
The specter of Lahaina
The arrival of this Tropical Storm Hone brings back painful memories of the powerful hurricane that helped fuel the fire that devastated the town of Lahaina, Maui, last summer. Fortunately, the National Weather Service says Tropical Storm Hone would not create the same conditions.
The Lahaina Fire of August 8, 2023, was fueled by powerful winds caused by a combination of a hurricane passing some 500 miles to the south and a very strong high pressure system north of the islands.
Hurricane Gilma also on the radar
To the east of Tropical Storm Hone, another atmospheric disturbance is underway. Hurricane Gilma is indeed moving westward across the Pacific, but it is still too early to say whether it will affect the Hawaiian Islands.
Hurricane Gilma is accompanied by maximum sustained winds of 193 km/h, making it a Category 3 hurricane. It is moving slowly westward. The National Hurricane Center said Gilma is expected to weaken this weekend.
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