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Hurricane Nolo stalls near the Big Island and threatens serious flooding
September 27, 2026
Hurricane Nolo stalls near Hawaii's Big Island as heavy rain closes part of a main highway and forecasters warn of flooding and mudslides.
Hawaii faces this storm in the same month as Hurricane Lowell, during a Pacific hurricane season with above-average storm activity.
Key facts
- The blaze burned close to Olowalu, which lies roughly 7 miles (11 kilometers) below Lahaina, where deadly fires struck in 2023.
- Polo carried top sustained winds of 140 mph (220 kph), a Category 4 strength, and forecasters expected some weakening before it reached land Monday.
- On Saturday evening the weather service warned of high wind in parts of Maui, with sustained winds of 40 mph (64 kph) or more and gusts above 60 mph (97 kph).
- The storm sat roughly 165 miles (266 kilometers) south-southwest of the southern tip of Hawaii, and forecasters expected it to become a major hurricane by late Sunday or early Monday as it moved west below the islands.
- Forecasters warned that the storm's outer bands could bring deadly flooding and mudslides, and some areas of the Big Island could get as much as 20 inches (51 centimeters) of rain.
AP News reports that forecasters expect the storm's outer bands to bring flooding and mudslides that could threaten lives, with rain on parts of the Big Island reaching as much as 20 inches (51 centimeters). Its account has a hurricane watch lifted and no direct landfall by the center expected. PBS carries the same material, and The Washington Post, in its headline, ties the stalled storm to a likely serious flood threat. NBC News covers the storm as well.
AP News describes the response on the ground. Rain across the island's south forced partial closures on a main highway between Kailua-Kona and Hilo, and near Naalehu, National Guard members helped a man drive through flooded streets. The governor's emergency proclamation put roughly 400 guard members on duty statewide, with more than 120 of them on the Big Island. Hawaiian Electric moved crews from Kauai, where they had been restoring power after Hurricane Lowell, back to Oahu, Maui and the Big Island. “Don't venture out if you don't have to into the dangerous flooding environment, but also high winds. We can have trees and power lines down,” said Michael Brennan.
The outlets agree on the core account: a slow storm, heavy rain on the Big Island and a flood risk that outweighs the wind. “We're used to lots of rain. We're not used to wind. So it's always a blessing when we don't get the wind from the hurricane,” said Gill. The rainfall already on the ground is reported; the full extent of the flooding is not yet known.
Michael Brennan said, “Don't venture out if you don't have to into the dangerous flooding environment, but also high winds. We can have trees and power lines down.”
Michael Brennan
Still developing
The full impact of the storm's flooding on the Big Island and the other islands is still expected as of the time of this draft.
How settled the reporting is
Sources
- AP News — Hurricane Nolo expected to unleash powerful winds and flash flooding on Hawaii - PBS
- NBC News — Hurricane Nolo expected to bring heavy rain as it skirts Hawaii’s Big Island
- The Washington Post — As Hurricane Nolo stalls near Hawaii’s Big Island, serious flooding likely - The Washington Post
Toggle read the full reports of all 7 outlets counted on this event.