Hurricane Flossie Now a Category 4 Storm

By JAYMES SONG,

Posted: 2007-08-14 06:51:13

HONOLULU (Aug. 12) - Hurricane Flossie packed 140 mph wind as it spun closer to Hawaii on Sunday, but forecasters predicted the Category 4 storm would weaken before passing by the islands later this week.

Flossie is seen Sunday morning southeast of Hawaii

NOAA via AP

The hurricane heads Sunday morning to waters south of Hawaii.

The hurricane was expected to pass about 70 miles south of the island of Hawaii late Tuesday or early Wednesday, but by then cooler water should weaken it to a Category 1 hurricane or a strong tropical storm.

However, Hawaii was still on alert just in case the storm keeps its strength and veers closer.

At 11 a.m. EDT, Flossie was 810 miles east-southeast of Hilo, and had maximum sustained wind near 140 mph with gusts reaching 165. It was traveling west at about 12 mph.

"Dangerous Hurricane Flossie continues to travel across the open waters of the north central Pacific Ocean," the Central Pacific Hurricane Center said in a statement.

Two Air Force WC-130 hurricane tracker aircraft were dispatched from Mississippi and was expected to fly into the storm to gather measurements later in the day, said John Bravender, a forecaster at the center.

Even though the eye of the storm may miss the Hawaiian islands, Flossie could still bring strong wind and heavy rain to the islands, forecasters said.

The southeastern shore of the Big Island of Hawaii could see waves of 8 to 12 feet, forecasters said, with the surf rising during the day Monday and peaking Tuesday. The island's South Point is the southernmost area of the United States.

State civil defense officials urged residents to be prepared because of the unpredictable nature of hurricanes, saying a one or two degree direction change could make a big difference.

The last time a hurricane hit Hawaii was in 1992, when Iniki ravaged Kauai, killing six people and causing $2.5 billion in damage.

Hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. In May, forecasters said the Hawaiian islands and the rest of the central Pacific faced a slightly below-average hurricane season, with just two or three tropical cyclones expected because of lower sea surface temperatures.

The islands get an average of 4.5 tropical cyclones a year and one hurricane about every 15 years. Last year, the central Pacific had five tropical cyclones after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted two to three.

On July 21, a tropical depression moved past the Big Island, bringing a few inches of rain to the parched island but no major problems. Cosme, the year's first Pacific tropical cyclone, reached hurricane status for a day before it weakened.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

2007-08-10 11:25:47

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1134 comments

Brucebouford 08:39:00 PM Aug 13 2007

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for friendly people, you have to go to guatemala c.a. it is a good place to live and enjoy the sun without all the humanity that u get in the states. the country side reminds me of alaska but without the snow. it has great beauty where ever you go and the scenes you will not see many other places. it is fairly inexpensive to live here ant the economy is worth to experence. as for the country and people, every thing is laid back. just a comtoble way to spend the time we have to live. bb

poteetmims 08:07:56 PM Aug 13 2007

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it's just my luck.planning to celebrate my 25th wedding anniversary in kauai on the 16th of augaust.somebody told me there would be no chance of hurricanes there.

patbury112 02:29:22 PM Aug 13 2007

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to MDAOK: The verb is "are", not "is" in your comment about the hurricane.

Signed, "The Underground Grammarian"

weathermonkey81 01:13:13 AM Aug 13 2007

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Hawaii will be fine. http://metocph.nmci.navy.mil/jtwc.php

mainst633 12:43:29 AM Aug 13 2007

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well they are welcome to come inside the US instead of off on the Island, they are citizens...