# Tropical Storm Flossie



## Mauiwmn (Jul 28, 2013)

I hope this storm passes by the islands and doesn't cause any damage or  ruin anyone's vacation.
Stay alert!

Tropical storm watches and warnings have been issued as Tropical Storm Flossie continues its westward march toward the Hawaii.

Flossie, the sixth named storm of the eastern Pacific hurricane season, formed just over 1000 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California Wednesday. 

Flossie is now tracking due west over the central Pacific Ocean, putting it on a collision course with America's 50th state.

The forecast path includes parts of the Hawaiian Islands, starting with the "Big Island" of Hawaii on Monday. However, drier air, increased wind shear, and somewhat cooler water is expected to have a weakening effect on Flossie before it arrives.

Nonetheless, a tropical storm warning is in effect for Hawaii County and Maui County, and a tropical storm watch is in effect for the island of Oahu, including Honolulu.

Flossie is expected to be a relatively weak tropical storm or tropical depression by the time it reaches the Hawaiian Islands Monday. This means an increase in showers, higher swells reaching east-facing shores, and an attendant threat of rip currents. 

People in the Hawaiian Islands should continue to monitor Flossie and prepare for inclement weather. While we are not expecting Flossie to be a hurricane, be prepared.

It's worth noting of 19 named storms that have tracked near the Hawaiian Islands since 1957:

Only four remained at hurricane strength within 65 nautical miles, most notably Iniki (1992).  
Three of those four hurricanes approached the islands from the south or southeast.  
Only Kanoa (1957) was able to survive as a hurricane pushing due westward at a latitude equal or as far north as the Big Island.  (Though, according to NHC's best track database, it never made it as a hurricane to the Big Island.)
The large majority of those named storms had weakened to either a tropical storm, depression or remnant low when approaching the islands from the east, at a latitude at least as far north as the Big Island.  
Coincidentally, in 2007, the center of Hurricane Flossie passed just 100 miles south of the Big Island on August 14. However, impacts on land were not severe. Eastern Pacific tropical cyclone names are recycled every six years except for those destructive enough to be retired.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jul 28, 2013)

Mauiwmn said:


> Coincidentally, in 2007, the center of Hurricane Flossie passed just 100 miles south of the Big Island on August 14. However, impacts on land were not severe. Eastern Pacific tropical cyclone names are recycled every six years except for those destructive enough to be retired.



We were on the Big Island staying at Mauna Loa Village when Flossie arrived in 2007. We were prepared to hunker down for several days if necessary; heeding all precautions.  Then predicted landfill got pushed back, and back, and back.  When Flossie did arrive it was in the midst of breaking.  Hilo side got some pretty heavy rain for awhile. Over in Kona there were a few intermittent rain showers, for a day, followed by a pretty heavy two or three hour rainstorm one afternoon.  

And it made for some great sunsets.  I took the sunset shot below from the golf course right next Mauna Loa village as Flossie was moving through.


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## HatTrick (Jul 28, 2013)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> Then predicted landfill got pushed back, and back, and back.



Perhaps they didn't consider waste disposal a priority when a big storm was approaching...


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Jul 28, 2013)

_"Perhaps they didn't consider waste disposal a priority when a big storm was approaching...  "​_
double


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## jsfletch (Jul 28, 2013)

Just curious if any tuggers are on Oahu, particularly in KoOlina.


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## Passepartout (Jul 28, 2013)

I just read that there is a tropical storm warning for the Kona area of the Big Island with expected winds of 60 MPH and heavy surf/rain On up the island chain, Maui and Oahu just get storm watches with 40 mph winds expected.

I took my parents to Kauai and Maui back in '87(I think?). We arrived just after a named tropical storm- in fact that is how I afforded it- there had been many cancellations. All- or at least most of the flowers and non-sturdy foliage had been well stripped of vegetation. Post-storm clean up seemed to be the main work going on.

Be careful and batten down the hatches! Watch for flying lawn chairs.

Jim


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## PearlCity (Jul 29, 2013)

jsfletch said:


> Just curious if any tuggers are on Oahu, particularly in KoOlina.



Im on Oahu. Not on vacation but live here. They expect mostly rain here with winds up to 45 mph, which is not hugely out of the ordinary. Some folks are going crazy buying out all the water and batteries..Hilo and Maui are supposed to get the worst of it though!


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## Carolyn (Jul 29, 2013)

This is my son's honeymoon week. They really wanted to go to Maui (they live in NC). I talked them out of it due to the long flights, among other things. Instead they went to St. Lucia on a direct flight plus we own at Windjammer Landing where they are enjoying great weather and their own villa with a private pool. Whew!!!


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## kwindham (Jul 29, 2013)

I talked to the captain of the fishing charter we took on Kuaui last night on facebook.  He says that they are only _expecting_ to see heavy rain and some wind.  I hope he's right!


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## BocaBum99 (Jul 29, 2013)

I, too, am on Oahu.  Living in Florida for so many years got us used to getting ready for hurricanes.   We are not doing anything special for this storm other than expecting a few tennis matches to be cancelled for today and maybe tomorrow due to rain.   This will be done by Wednesday.

We will get a lot of rain and it will be a bit windier than normal.   There will be sustained winds around 25 mph which is brisk, but not unusual.  Gusts will be higher.

We were on Oahu when Hurricane Iniki hit Kauai in Sept of 1992.  That was before I lived in Florida.  It was scary since homes here are not hurricane ready.


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## radmoo (Jul 29, 2013)

kwindham said:


> I talked to the captain of the fishing charter we took on Kuaui last night on facebook.  He says that they are only _expecting_ to see heavy rain and some wind.  I hope he's right!




Hope so, too, as we will be at Kauai Beach Club Aug 18-25


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## klpca (Jul 29, 2013)

Alaska Airlines has canceled it's Hawaii bound flights through noon pst. Better to be safe than sorry, but what a bummer of a way to start your vacation.

Good luck to those of you on the islands. Hopefully this turns out to be a good story to share and nothing more.


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## danb (Jul 29, 2013)

*Weather in Ewa*

We live near KoOlina and the weather is nice. Some clouds but nothing out of the ordinary. Playing golf at 12:30. Hope it's nice for at least another 4 hrs. 
Got extra gas and will fill up the generator just in case. Picked up some cases of water as well but read that some places are running out of water.


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## cowboy (Jul 29, 2013)

We are in poipu and the weather is perfectly Hawaiian. Just got a call from the resort that we can expect rain tonight. Weather forecast last night seemed to think the main part of the storm might pass to the south of the big island, hope so. Aloha


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## PearlCity (Jul 29, 2013)

klpca said:


> Alaska Airlines has canceled it's Hawaii bound flights through noon pst. Better to be safe than sorry, but what a bummer of a way to start your vacation.
> 
> Good luck to those of you on the islands. Hopefully this turns out to be a good story to share and nothing more.



It's kind of funny because all the mainland carriers are cancelling flights and hawaiian air has not canceller flights and have additional planes on standby for additional flights. This storm is really right now not viewed as much of a threat..


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## RnU (Jul 29, 2013)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> And it made for some great sunsets.  I took the sunset shot below from the golf course right next Mauna Loa village as Flossie was moving through.



Stunning shot!


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## ww1aerofan (Jul 29, 2013)

*Flossie is almost here in Maui!*

We are sitting at the Maui Schooner watching this beast approach!

We can't even see the other side of the island as we are looking at a HUGE
cloud bank that goes from the ocean to the top of the sky!

As I type, it is the proverbial calm before the storm with sunshine and
gusting winds...  The Schooner staff has pulled in everything not nailed
down at the pool area, and there seems to be a spirit of excitement (not fear)
in the air of the guests.

I went to Safeway and loaded up with 3 bottles of wine and 2 days of food!
We are ready, with a great view from the ocean front "A" building at 204.
Makes me wish I had chosen the 3rd floor!

The moldy/oldy REO Speedwagon song of "Riding the Storm Out" come to mind!


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## BocaBum99 (Jul 29, 2013)

It's pretty muggy and cloudy right now in Honolulu.  Visibility is low and there is light rain.  Surprisingly, not much wind.


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## valbo97 (Jul 29, 2013)

*Flossie - Kauai OK at 3:45PM Monday 12 hours to Flossie*

The weather is nicer now than yesterday. The storm is due in the middle of the night. Pono Kai has taken no precautions we can see or are aware of. Hopefully we will only be getting a lot of rain and some wind. Glad we are not in Hanalei - with floods the bridge could be a problem. Anyone beyond the bridge should be aware.


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## ww1aerofan (Jul 29, 2013)

*Moderate to Heavy Rain but little wind in Kihei Maui 3:50 PM*

Flossie is here now with moderate rain and low visibility.  It has been
raining steady for about an hour here in Kihei.

I am surprised there is very little wind, I would say no more than a
5-8 MPH breeze.

Hopefully this is all we get!


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## kwindham (Jul 29, 2013)

Hope everyone in the islands are staying safe!!!  Keep us posted!


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## divenski (Jul 30, 2013)

Now downgraded to a Depression, and so less of a threat. Also, it's shifting to the North. Tonight will be the real test for Maui.


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## sfwilshire (Jul 30, 2013)

Watching it pour on Maui right now. We're at Kahana Beach Resort. It rained off and on all day. Flossie is no longer a Tropical Storm but is still dumping a lot of rain. Very loud thunder and bright lighting strikes. 

It looks like it will all leave Maui within the next couple of hours. Looking forward to getting back to the beautiful weather.

Everyone here seemed nervous about losing power. There were at least 100 cars in line to get gas at Costco on Sunday. For some reason, everyone stocks up on water and toilet paper to prepare for a storm here. At home, it is milk and bread, sometimes beer, when we get snow warnings. Most people in Tennessee have a little extra tp at home, I guess.

No rain, no rainbows. I saw three this morning while I was on my balcony reading. They were there and gone in no time, so I had to be careful to look up often.

Sheila


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## PearlCity (Jul 30, 2013)

sfwilshire said:


> Watching it pour on Maui right now. We're at Kahana Beach Resort. It rained off and on all day. Flossie is no longer a Tropical Storm but is still dumping a lot of rain. Very loud thunder and bright lighting strikes.
> 
> It looks like it will all leave Maui within the next couple of hours. Looking forward to getting back to the beautiful weather.
> 
> ...




Yeah I don't get the toilet paper thing. I think it is from some stevadore strike years ago and people were out of toilet paper.  Now though amazon delivers toilet paper, usually 2nd day air to.Hawaii. most of us here eat rice, and have at least a 25 lb bag of it so all we need is water, but seriously this tropical storm is so minor. Too much media hype. I'm still waiting.for it to come on oahu.. supposedly will be here in 
20 minutes.


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## kwindham (Jul 30, 2013)

How are the tuggers in Hawaii right now?   Flossie gone yet?


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## Kauai Kid (Jul 30, 2013)

PearlCity said:


> Yeah I don't get the toilet paper thing. I think it is from some stevadore strike years ago and people were out of toilet paper.  Now though amazon delivers toilet paper, usually 2nd day air to.Hawaii. most of us here eat rice, and have at least a 25 lb bag of it so all we need is water, but seriously this tropical storm is so minor. Too much media hype. I'm still waiting.for it to come on oahu.. supposedly will be here in
> 20 minutes.



Boy are you right about the hype.  Jim Cantore on the weather channel was standing near the Hilo Bay and said look at the Palm Trees how they are waving.  Heck, the Palm fronds were waving a little but the tree wasn't even bent. 

They are trying to make a big story out of almost nothing.

Sterling


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## KauaiMark (Jul 30, 2013)

*Looks like the storm tuened your world upsidedown!*



ww1aerofan said:


> Flossie is here now with moderate rain and low visibility.  It has been
> raining steady for about an hour here in Kihei.
> 
> I am surprised there is very little wind, I would say no more than a
> ...



(referring to the picture)


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## BocaBum99 (Jul 30, 2013)

Yesterday was really muggy.   I drove to Hawaii Kai from Kahala late yesterday afternoon at 5 pm.   Usually, the traffic is pretty heavy at that time.  I think lots of people stayed home as there was very light traffic.

It is very cloudy and drizzly right now.  Winds are relatively calm.  About 5 mph.  Kona winds from the SE.   It's expected to be raining today and tomorrow.   Thursday should be very nice.

We definitely got a storm because for 2-3 days, we didn't have great weather.   We need the rain, so it's not a bad break.


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## cowboy (Jul 30, 2013)

There is more wind from the news media than from the supposed storm. It hit Kauai at about 6 am with winds about as strong as on the golf course in the afternoons in Kauai.


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## divenski (Jul 30, 2013)

Dare I say that the media coverage was a bit overblown...

Having said that, when the "storm" hit the Ka'anapali area early last night, it was intense for a few hours, and with all the lightning, it was wise to stay indoors.

Right now, the water is the calmest it has been for a few days.

I think the biggest problem was all the flight cancellations. Many, if not all, flights to/from the mainland were cancelled yesterday.


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## danb (Jul 30, 2013)

*Flossie*

Just rained a bit last night here in Ewa. Golf course is open and the sun is shining.


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## sfwilshire (Jul 30, 2013)

Here at Kahana it is a wonderful day. Saw a rainbow first thing this morning. Still a bit muggy and there were lots of flies at the beach, but otherwise a beautiful day. There was a sign at the grocery store saying no returns on items purchased during "panic buying". All we bought was gas for the car, a package of lunch meat and loaf of bread. We had a couple of empty milk jugs in the recycle bin, so rinsed them out and filled them with water. The lifeguard at the beach had warned us to stock up on water.

I did read online that the National Park is closed until Thursday because of mudslides and other obstacles. We went up for sunrise last week, but plan a sunset visit sometime this week.

Sheila


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## kwindham (Jul 31, 2013)

Glad to read everyone is ok!


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## BocaBum99 (Jul 31, 2013)

It was a pretty nice day on Tuesday.  Tennis was not cancelled after all.  It was just more humid than normal and sunny.  However, in the early evening it started getting windy.   Very windy now.  Strange.


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