Residents on Hawaii’s Big Island are bracing for an impending severe storm as Hurricane Nolo looms just south of the islands. The storm is anticipated to intensify into a major hurricane by Saturday, with sustained winds reaching 165 kilometers per hour on Friday. Positioned approximately 300 kilometers south of Hawaii’s southernmost point, Nolo is expected to unleash flash floods and high surf in the region throughout the weekend.

Meteorologists have issued warnings for potential rainfall amounts of up to 38 centimeters on parts of the Big Island, with a chance of up to 64 centimeters. This forecast has been revised from an earlier prediction of up to 89 centimeters. Michael Brennan, the director of the U.S. National Hurricane Center, advised residents to take precautions and seek shelter as the storm approaches, emphasizing the risks posed by flooding and strong winds, which could lead to downed trees and power lines.

While heavy rainfall is also anticipated on Hawaii’s other islands, such as Maui, with potential threats of life-threatening flooding and mudslides, preparations are underway. Emergency response teams on the Big Island have been working diligently to construct barriers to channel water flow and clear debris in anticipation of the storm’s impact. President Donald Trump has approved an emergency declaration for Hawaii, enabling the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate federal assistance and provide financial support for emergency operations.

Residents have been urged to assemble emergency kits, and the governor has issued an emergency proclamation, activating over 230 members of the Hawaii National Guard. With schools closed in certain areas, Hawaii County officials are advising individuals living in flood-prone zones to consider seeking refuge in designated shelters. The southeastern region of the Big Island, previously affected by Hurricane Lala in August, is expected to bear the brunt of Nolo’s heavy rainfall, compounded by the already saturated ground from previous precipitation.

In parallel developments, Hurricane Polo poses a threat to Mexico, particularly the Baja California peninsula, following its impact on the southwestern coast. Polo has rapidly intensified, prompting preparations for potential landfall between Monday and Tuesday. Mexican authorities have closed ports in the region and are setting up shelters, with security personnel deployed along the coast and schools shut down. The storm’s sustained winds have reached 290 kilometers per hour, prompting residents to fortify properties and evacuate coastal areas at risk of storm surge and flooding.

As environmental disturbances attributed to El Niño persist, global weather patterns continue to shift, leading to drought conditions in some regions and increased cyclone activity in the Pacific. The influence of El Niño has dampened the Atlantic hurricane season while bolstering tropical cyclone formation in the Pacific. Hurricane Odalys, currently a Category 4 storm, remains distant from land, situated west-southwest of the Baja California peninsula. Additional storms are active in the Atlantic, including Tropical Storm Fay and Tropical Storm Gonzalo, though they pose no immediate threat to land areas.