Going to high-school graduation parties, attending weddings, and checking on that stash of plywood in the storage shed. All of these are early-summer rituals, as Kauai and Hawaii approach another hurricane season. June through November are the months of the
Going to high-school graduation parties, attending weddings, and checking on that stash of plywood in the storage shed.
All of these are early-summer rituals, as Kauai and Hawaii approach another hurricane season.
June through November are the months of the annual hurricane season in the central Pacific, and even though National Weather Service officials are predicting only two to three tropical cyclones this year, they are also quick to point out that it only takes one to cause major loss of life and property.
And being prepared can mean the difference between life and death.
“In the event of a hurricane, public preparedness will mean the difference between a multitude of survivors or victims in Hawaii,” said Jim Weyman, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service Central Pacific Hurricane Center.
“The preparedness actions the public takes now could mean the difference between life and death for themselves and their families in a hurricane emergency,” he said.
“It is not only the number of systems expected that’s important, but the track these tropical cyclones take,” he said.
“If one were to directly hit one of the Hawaiian islands, there could be near-total devastation. Therefore, it is imperative for the public to take hurricane preparedness actions before the beginning of hurricane season, to protect their lives and property in the event of a hurricane,” he said.
Residents of Kauai know all too well of what he speaks, as Hurricane Iwa in 1982 and Hurricane Iniki in 1992 did physical damage to Kauai, and did damage to the island economy that took the better part of the decade to recover from.
Iniki did $2.4 billion in damage, mostly on Kauai. Iniki was responsible for five deaths on Kauai, and one death on Oahu. The next hurricane forming in the central Pacific will be named Ioke.
This year’s forecast is based in part on lower-than-normal ocean temperatures, referred to as La Nia conditions. That differs from El Nio years, when warmer-than-normal ocean temperatures provided perfect conditions for formation of hurricanes.
Both Iwa and Iniki visited in El Nio years. The long-term average for central Pacific cyclones is over four per year, with one hurricane, two tropical storms, and one tropical depression each year.
“The outlook from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center indicates a cold event (La Nia) is much more likely to occur in sea-surface temperatures in the tropical areas of the Pacific Ocean by this summer,” Weyman explained.
“This, along with several other factors, contributed to the forecast of a below-average number of tropical cyclones to affect the central Pacific,” he added.
Still, Weyman and other National Weather Service officials are encouraging preparation for the upcoming hurricane season.
Hurricane Awareness Week is this week, proclaimed by Pres. George W. Bush to encourage residents of both Atlantic and Pacific states to take steps now to be prepared in the event of stormy weather.
“It Only Takes One – Are You Prepared?” is the theme of Hurricane Preparedness Week.
Weyman said the islands are vulnerable to tropical storms and depressions. A slow-moving tropical storm, or even a tropical depression, could dump heavy rains on the islands, causing flooding and landslides as well as some localized wind damage.
“Ultimately, it is each person’s responsibility to be prepared for a hurricane,” said Weyman. “Everyone should have an action plan in the event that a hurricane strikes. Every home should have a survival kit, and everyone should take action when advised by Civil Defense.”
The Central Pacific Hurricane Center issues forecasts, watches and warnings for the Hawaiian islands, to notify the public of pending hurricanes and tropical storms:
- A hurricane watch or tropical-storm watch means the threat of hurricane or tropical-storm conditions exists for designated islands within 36 hours. Residents and visitors should listen to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio or TV for the latest weather information;
- A hurricane warning or tropical-storm warning means hurricane or tropical-storm conditions are expected to occur on designated islands within 24 hours.
Visitors and residents should continue to listen to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or TV for the latest weather information, and be prepared to evacuate if advised to do so by Civil Defense officials.
Another source for preparedness information is the white pages of the Kauai telephone book, which list actions to take before, during, and after natural disasters.
The NOAA is a branch of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
On the Internet:
NOAA: http://www.noaa.gov
NOAA National Weather Service: http://www.nws.noaa.gov
National Hurricane Center and National Hurricane Awareness Week information: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov
Hawaii hurricane information: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/pr/hnl/cphc/pages/cphc.shtml
Staff Writer Paul C. Curtis can be reached at mailto:pcurtis@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 224).
