July 24, 2016
1530.18z
July 24, 2016
By Kristina Pydynowski
Darby (click here) will continue to deliver locally heavy rain, gusty winds and rough surf to Hawaii into early Monday. But the tropical storm will provide long-term benefits.
Darby made landfall on Hawaii's Big Island on Saturday afternoon local time, in the vicinity of where Iselle made landfall in 2014. Darby will continue towards Kauai into early Monday, gradually weakening to a tropical depression.
Rain and gusty winds will continue to spread from the Big Island to Kauai into Sunday night. Since Darby will slowly weaken, the Big Island will face the most adverse impacts.
"The main impact from Darby will be in the form of significant rainfall," AccuWeather Meteorologist Evan Duffey said.
"The eastern half of the Big Island should see the most rainfall," he said.
It has been a long time since a strong hurricane rolled across Hawaii. That will change since the Pacific has the majority of storms annually. There is now a far active hurricane season in the eastern Pacific than the Atlantic Ocean.
Last year, 2015, the hurricane season began on May 28, 2016 and ended December 31, 2015. The turbulence continued until January 14, 2016. The season then continued in 2016 starting July 2, 2016.
There were 31 storms in the eastern Pacific in 2015. Considering the fact the season continued until January 14, 2016 there were actually 32 storms for the 2016 season.
The year 2005 was the year of Katrina, Rita and Wilma in the Atlantic Ocean. There was a total of 31 storms that year which ended on January 6, 2006.
Hawaii will see far more hurricanes beginning this year than ever before in it's history. The governance of Hawaii should include the increasing problems with high energy hurricanes. These storms can effect it's economy as well. The native Hawaiians need to be prepared for surviving these storms.
The last time a category 4 hurricane hit Hawaii (click here) was 15 years ago when Hurricane Iniki swept over the islands.
The eye of the hurricane passed over Kauai on September 11, 1992. It caused over $1 billion in damage and six deaths. The hurricane also destroyed 1,400 homes and severely damaged over 5,000.
Oahu also experienced moderate damage from the storm.
Hurricane Iniki was the first hurricane to hit the state since Hurricane Iwa in 1982.
It remains the strongest hurricane in history to hit the Hawaiian Islands.
