ORLANDO, Fla. – It’s déjà vu in paradise.
For the third time this hurricane season a hurricane watch has been issued for a portion of the Hawaiian islands.
Tropical depression 15-E strengthened in Tropical Storm Nolo earlier Wednesday.
The storm is expected to become a major hurricane as it passes close to the Big Island over the weekend.
A hurricane watch is in effect for all of the Big Island until further notice.
This is the second time for the Big Island that a hurricane watch was in effect.
Hurricane Lala lashed the Big Island with heavy rain and wind last month.
While Lala never made landfall, the eye wall, the strongest part of the storm, came to shore on the islands southern tip.
Lala dropped more than 40 inches of rain on the islands northeast side of the island.
Earlier this month Hurricane Lowell passed just to the west of Kawaii.
That hurricane prompted the islands first tornado watch in history.
If you’re wondering how there can be two ‘L’ names on the list, it’s because the Eastern Pacific and Central Pacific are two separate basins with different sets of names.
Lala formed in the Central Pacific and received its Central Pacific name while Lowell formed in the Eastern Pacific and crossed basins.
It is extremely rare for hurricanes to directly impact the Hawaiian islands, however, it does become more probable in an El Niño year.
During El Niño, the Pacific hurricane season is much more active than normal while the Atlantic hurricane season is typically suppressed.
The 2026 hurricane season for Hawaii can be comparable to the 2004 hurricane season for Florida when the state was impacted by four hurricanes in that season.
