Hurricane Douglas triggers emergency declaration in Hawaii as Texas prepares for Hanna

The first hurricane to threaten the United States since the start of the coronavirus pandemic approaching Hawaii, prompting the governor to issue an emergency declaration on Friday evening. Meanwhile, two storms are raging in the Atlantic and one could reach hurricane strength before causing major flooding on the Texas Gulf Coast.

In the Pacific, Hurricane Douglas has become a major Category 3 Thursday, with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph. It is expected to weaken as it passes over colder waters before reaching Hawaii, but meteorologists warn that high winds, heavy rain and dangerous waves could plague the whole of the world. ‘State as of Sunday.

On Friday, weather officials placed the islands of Hawaii and Maui County (including Maui, Molokai and Kahoolawe) on a hurricane watch.

hurricane-douglas-friday-july-24-2020.jpg
Forecast track for Hurricane Douglas as of Friday, July 24, 2020

NOAA


CBS News meteorologist and climate scientist Jeff Berardelli said Douglas would likely pass just north of the Big Island of Hawaii on Saturday and could make landfall on Sunday as a hurricane or tropical storm in Maui. . Watch for heavy rain, flash flooding, and winds blowing over 75 mph. If it makes landfall at hurricane force, it would only be the third time in recorded history that Hawaii has seen a hurricane make landfall.

On Friday night, Hawaii Governor David Ige announced a “pre-landing emergency proclamation.”

“Our top priority is always the safety, health and well-being of our residents and visitors,” he said in a statement. declaration. “Please take immediate action to protect your families, loved ones, employees and property. We ask everyone to follow emergency instructions carefully as we prepare for Hurricane Douglas.”

The storm is approaching as Hawaii grapples with an increase COVID-19[female[feminine Numbers. On Thursday, the state reported 55 new confirmed cases, its largest single-day increase since the pandemic began.

Unlike other hurricane-prone states like Florida, where residents pile into cars to evacuate as storms approach, it’s not practical to leave Hawaii to get away from a storm. Accommodation space is also limited.

So, as usual, local authorities are urging most people to seek shelter at home if they can. Those living in homes built to code after 1995 should be “pretty good to go,” said John Cummings, the public information office for Honolulu Emergency Management,

He recommended staying with friends and family if the house is unsafe. Seek refuge in an inner chamber, he says. Going to a city-run shelter should be a last resort, he added.

Hanna threatens the Texas coast

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Hanna is expected to build into a hurricane as it moves toward the Texas coast near Corpus Christi. The storm threatens to bring heavy rain, choppy waters and high winds, with tropical storm conditions expected to begin hitting the coast Saturday morning.

“The big threat here is rain and flash flooding,” CBS News weather producer David Parkinson said. “Texas needs storms like this to prevent recurring droughts, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be isolated pockets of bad flooding.”

The National Hurricane Center said early saturday Hanna is expected to produce 6 to 12 inches of rain, with isolated maximum totals of 18 inches through Sunday evening in southern Texas and parts of Mexico.

A hurricane warning was issued from Port Mansfield to Mesquite Bay, Texas. A tropical storm warning extended from Barra el Mezquital, Mexico to Port Mansfield, and from Mesquite Bay to High Island, Texas. And a storm surge warning was in effect from Port Mansfield to Sargent, Texas.

Hanna and Gonzalo set records as season picks up pace

Hanna broke the record for the first eighth named storm in the Atlantic, in what is shaping up to be a exceptionally active season. The previous record was Harvey on Aug. 3, 2005, noted Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach.

Tropical Storm Gonzalo, which is heading south from the Caribbean, was also the first Atlantic storm named for its place in the alphabet. It formed on Wednesday July 22, breaking the previous record held by Tropical Storm Gert, which formed on July 24, 2005. So far this year, Cristobal, Danielle, Edouard and Fay have also set records to be the first Atlantic storm named for their alphabetical order. ordered.

“The second phase of the Atlantic hurricane season is in full swing, about 2-3 weeks earlier than normal, in part due to record temperatures in tropical Atlantic waters,” Berardelli explained. “We are more than a week ahead of the record named storm pace and all signs point to one of the most active seasons on record in the Atlantic Basin.”

“More worrying than any of the current storms, another wave is emerging off Africa now and models suggest it could be a bigger player over the next two weeks,” he said. declared.

Gonzalo is expected to bring rain and wind to the southern Windward Islands late Friday and Saturday. A tropical storm warning was in effect early Saturday for Tobago and Grenada and its dependencies.

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