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Although the current track is - for now- slightly deflected from the island, ALL SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED TOMORROW. I
If the winds do pick up, you can always tape your windows, this will NOT keep them from breaking, but could limit the flying shards of glass to a point.... I was at a resort outside of Playa del Carmen when Hurricane Keith ground to a halt 90 km south, the staff had taped all of the picture windows with asterick looking tape patterns, to keep the potenially broken glass from flying all apart. We also had to put all of our luggage in strong garbage bags & placed them into the tub. All patio & pool side furniture was placed in the pool - just in case the storm surge would take them out to sea. All signs, ceiling fans, chandeliers & other loose things were taken down & stored. Anything near the beach was taken down & moved up & slashed down.
It truly was incredible looking at the process, staff had notebooks of things to do to prepare. Even more incredible was seeing how fast the resort was put back into shape, as the storm danger passed (the storm surged had totally turn the pool into a brackish mess, but the patio stuff was easy washed off & still in the pool).
I would definately recommend walking around your property today. Look at anything that can get blown over or picked up in a wind (plants in pots, hanging wind chimes, garden tools, light weight storage sheds...) & get them in, down or strapped. Look at your plantings, today is the day to take down any loose fronds, fruits, nuts & branches near or over your house, cars & such. May not be neccessary, but at least it isn't a totally wasted effort (also remember that most fruit trees may be "picked" by the wind, so pick the fruit you want now....)
Edited by - carey on 08/13/2007 13:35:41
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FYI all...all public schools are closed for Tuesday. At least they've learned some lessons from Iniki.
And I just got off Wikipedia where I saw the storm track for Iwa DID start in the eastern Pacific but went far south of the Big Island and did an about-face when it was S-SW of Kauai and turned NNW. So please excuse my error (and I don't seem to have an editing button). And Iniki actually formed in the south so I got my tracks mixed up a bit.
Yes, Hawaii is not immune to STORMS, especially very localized, high wind storms. Over the years big wind storms have hit Kawaihae and Hamakua/Laupahoehoe, often without warning and causing considerable damage. But they weren't hurricanes OR tornadoes. Such wind storms were called mumuku at Kawaihae and a huge one blew in on the weekend when Iolani Luahine's body was being transported back to the Big Island following her death on Oahu. A native of Kona known for her dancing, Iolani was also said to have the ability to call up the wind. I witnessed that one!
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Aloha Carey! Glad to see your post! I've been watching the satellite loops - fascinating and a little scarey.
Carrie
"All I can say about life is, Oh God, enjoy it." Bob Newhart
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BULLETIN
HURRICANE FLOSSIE INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 21A
NWS CENTRAL PACIFIC HURRICANE CENTER HONOLULU HI EP092007
200 PM HST MON AUG 13 2007
...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII...
...A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII...
THE BIG ISLAND WILL SEE THE ONSET OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS... 39 MPH AND HIGHER...DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH HURRICANE FLOSSIE TUESDAY MID-MORNING. EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS ARE LIKELY AS HURRICANE FLOSSIE PASSES SOUTH OF THE BIG ISLAND DURING THE DAY TUESDAY. ANY SHIFT IN THE FORECAST TRACK TOWARDS THE NORTH...CLOSER TO THE BIG ISLAND...WILL RESULT IN HIGHER WINDS.
THE FORECAST TRACK OF HURRICANE FLOSSIE WILL BRING 6 TO 10 FT SURF TO SOUTHEAST FACING SHORES OF THE BIG ISLAND TODAY INCREASING TO 15 TO 20 FT ON TUESDAY. SURF ALONG NORTHEAST FACING SHORES OF THE BIG ISLAND WILL BE 5 TO 8 FEET TODAY INCREASING TO 8 TO 12 FEET TUESDAY.
HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITHIN OUTER RAINBANDS MAY PRODUCE 10 INCHES OR MORE OF RAINFALL IN KAU DISTRICT ON THE BIG ISLAND THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. SMALLER AMOUNTS...IN THE 5 TO 10 INCH RANGE...MAY FALL ON EASTERN SLOPES OF THE BIG ISLAND THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT.
AT 200 PM HST...0000Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE FLOSSIE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 15.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE 151.5 WEST OR ABOUT 365 MILES SOUTHEAST OF HILO...HAWAII AND ABOUT 570 MILES SOUTHEAST OF HONOLULU...OAHU.
FLOSSIE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH TODAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 125 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. FLOSSIE IS A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 40 MILES FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 140 MILES.
ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 956 MB...28.23 INCHES.
REPEATING THE 200 PM HST POSITION...15.6 N...151.5 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD...WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...
125 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...956 MB.
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE CENTRAL PACIFIC HURRICANE CENTER AT 500 PM HST.
$$
FORECASTER POWELL
Time is an illusion, but a handy one. Without it, we would not be able to hear sounds, and without that ability, we would have no music.
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Tent open or closed?
We have one of those big Costco tents that we use as a carport. We have it tied down to the house and some cemented-in posts.
Is it less likely to get blown around with all the the tent doors and windows open or fully zipped shut?
Robin
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Update from Kapoho:
Community Watch has started telling people to evacuate in the areas in lower lying areas and/or directly in line with tidal pools for this afternoon. So far only breezy and no rain. Mostly sunny. Waves have increased in size. High tide this afternoon at around 4:30 PM - if no storm surge this wouldnt be a very high tide today (2.2)
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Tents? might want to take the tarp cover off if you can...at 50+ MPH the tarp can really get ripped up.
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Hi Robin, Can’t speak for hurricanes but have seen what happens in high winds and outer reaches of tornadoes.
When closed, the wind still gets in through the openings at the bottom and you have what starts to look like a Goodyear blimp. If this continues, the zippers will rip apart, or it may just decide to take flight. Fortunately, the weight might prevent it from flying too far and you should find it somewhere around Banyan Drive.
With the windows and doors open, the fabric is exposed on all sides to the fully fury of the winds causing them to turn into sheets hanging on a line.
Either case, they do tend to get somewhat ripped up just from flying debris or from the sheer force of the wind tugging on the tie down straps
So, I'm not sure the best tactic, but many people take them down when heavy winds start whipping over the plains.
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Thanks Carey & Bob.
I think I'll go with all the doors and windows unzipped. We've had it take flight before when it wasn't tied down and with only one door open.
Taking the tarp off just seems like too much trouble. (I may eat my words after tomorrow.)
Robin
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Everybody must take a look at this:
http://sirocco.accuweather.com/sat_mosai...saehi_.gif
This wll give you some scale as the the size of this monster! And it looks like it is on a more northerly track.
Does anyone know what is happening at Pearl Harbor? I heard all the large ships have left.
