Hurricane Ana is expected to miss Hawaii, passing 115 miles southwest of Kauai and 120 miles southwest of Oahu Saturday night, but that isn't stopping strong winds and heavy rainfall.
The Central Pacific Hurricane Center has described the 120-mile distance from Kauai as "dangerously close" as the Category 1 hurricane prompted tropical storm warnings for Kauai County, including Kauai and the smaller island of Niihau, as well as a tropical storm watch for Oahu. A tropical storm watch had been lifted, however, for Maui, Lanai and the Big Island.
Maximum sustained winds are near 80 miles per hour with higher gusts, the hurricane center reported at 5 p.m. HST.
The conditions prompted flash flooding and attracted surfers to the shore.
On Oahu, tourists and surfers at popular Waikiki Beach enjoyed ample waves created by the storm in the early afternoon that later gave way to choppy water.
Waves were expected to crest to 10 to 15 feet on the south shores of the islands and remain high through Sunday.
Visible Satellite image of hurricane Ana impacting Hawaii this afternoon. http://t.co/hiIxjJSSJ9 #Ana— NWS Medford (@NWSMedford) October 19, 2014
Residents took the storm warnings seriously on Kauai, which was devastated by Category 4 Hurricane Iniki in 1992 that killed six people and destroyed more than 1,400 homes.
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"Those of us that were here during that time remember, and so we are very cautious," said Mary Daubert, a county spokeswoman. "Until she's passed us, we all have to remain vigilant."
National Weather Service warns that Hurricane ANA will pass dangerously close to Kauai. TROPICAL STORM WARNING posted pic.twitter.com/EZzFvXxf0O— Malika Dudley (@MalikaDudley) October 19, 2014
The worst conditions were expected to be felt around midnight.
In a coffee-growing area of the Big Island, the weather forced officials to close Mamalahoa Highway — the only road connecting some communities to the eastern side of the island.
The hurricane was expected to gradually weaken and again become a tropical storm by Sunday night.