Hurricane Loul is rapidly moving towards the western shores of the Hawaiian Islands, and it is expected that the core of this storm will pass west of Niihau Island on Monday night or early Tuesday. Local officials have warned residents to take protective measures to safeguard their lives and property as soon as possible.
Risk of Dangerous Flooding
With the combination of the storm and high tides, there is a possibility of flooding in areas near the shores of Kauai and Niihau Islands. In this regard, a flood warning has been issued for Kauai Island. Additionally, Oahu Island, which includes the city of Honolulu, is also under a tropical storm warning. Heavy rainfall is forecasted for these islands, with Kauai expected to receive between ۶ to ۱۰ inches and Oahu and the Big Island expected to receive ۴ to ۸ inches of rain.
The position of Hurricane Loul is currently about ۳۵۵ miles (۵۷۰ kilometers) from Honolulu and is moving northeast. This storm, which temporarily reached Category ۵ strength, has gradually decreased to Category ۳.
Reminder of Past Storms
Hawaii is still recovering from the impacts of Hurricane Lala, which affected part of the Big Island last month, bringing destructive winds and flash flooding. Loul is one of two active storms in the Pacific and has formed under conditions where the El Niño phenomenon has significantly warmed ocean waters. This phenomenon occurs every two to seven years and has significant effects on storm formation in the Pacific while reducing their likelihood in the Atlantic.
Climate change is also amplifying the global effects of El Niño, and the current weather conditions appear to pose a serious challenge for the residents of the Hawaiian Islands. In this situation, it is more essential than ever for residents to prepare and adopt safety measures.
