HONOLULU — The National Weather Service has issued a hurricane watch for parts of Hawaii as Hurricane Lane barrels toward the state as a Category 4 storm.
Senior Honolulu forecaster Tom Birchard said the watch for Hurricane Lane has been issued for the island of Hawaii and Maui County, which includes the island of Maui and other smaller islands.
Hurricane conditions could reach those areas within 48 hours.
It’s possible Oahu and Kauai might eventually be included in a watch, Birchard said.
Hurricane Lane is category 4 with winds to 150 mph. It has been moving west but is expected to turn northwest toward the state.
Hawaii residents could be slammed with heavy rain, flash flooding and high surf even if the center doesn’t reach the islands, according to Birchard. Residents likely will have Tuesday and Wednesday to prepare, he added.
Officials have urged residents to prepare “for the worst,” CBS Honolulu affiliate KGMB-TV reported.
“Some people might say, ‘Another hurricane, it didn’t hit us last time, we don’t need to worry.’ No, we got to plan for the worst and hope for the best,” Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said on Monday.
Officials are also taking steps to prevent problems, including closing beach parks and clearing streams, KGMB reported.
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