HONOLULU — Hurricane Lane soaked Hawaii's Big Island on Thursday, dumping nearly 20 inches of rain in nearly 24 hours as residents stocked up on supplies and tried to protect their homes ahead of the state's first hurricane since 1992.

The National Weather Service warned that Lane will get "perilously close" to Hawaii and that some areas could see up to 30 inches (about 80 centimeters) before the system passes.

Lane was not projected to make direct hit on the islands, but officials warned that even a lesser blow could do significant harm.

"You do not need a direct strike to have major impacts from a hurricane this strong," said Steve Goldstein, a meteorologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Washington.

The center of the Category 4 storm was predicted to move close to or over portions of the main islands later Thursday or Friday, bringing dangerous surf of 20 feet (6 meters) and a storm surge of up to 4 feet (1 meter), forecasters said. As of 11 a.m., the hurricane was about 275 miles (460 kilometers) south of Honolulu.

Lane "shifted a little closer to the islands, unfortunately," meteorologist Melissa Dye said. "Big Island and Maui are in the thick of it now."

As Lane moved closer to the islands, it was expected to weaken more rapidly and turn toward the west. But it was unknown exactly when that would happen, forecasters said.

Pablo Akira Beimler, who lives on the coast in Honokaa on the Big Island, said the road to Hilo was cut off due to landslides.

"Rain has been nonstop for the last half hour or so and winds are just starting to pick up," Beimler said as he posted videos of trees being blown sideways. "Our usually quiet stream is raging right now."

He said staying put is about the only choice he has.

"We essentially have one way in and out of our towns so sheltering in place is the priority," Beimler said in a Twitter message.

Two campers were reported trapped overnight in Waipio Valley, along the Big Island's northern coast. The campers called authorities Wednesday, but emergency crews could not mount a rescue operation.

"We can't go in because the roads — there's a river of water down there," said Hawaii County Managing Director Wil Okabe. Landslides had closed some roads.

In addition, there were reports of boulders falling into a park in Hilo on the east side of the island, Okabe said.

Shelters opened Wednesday on the Big Island and on the islands of Maui, Molokai and Lanai. Officials urged those needing the Molokai shelter to get there soon because of concerns that the main highway on the island's south coast could become impassable.

On the island of Oahu, shelters were scheduled to open Thursday. Aid agencies were also working to help Hawaii's sizeable homeless population, many of whom live near beaches and streams that could flood.

Because there's not enough shelter space statewide, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency Administrator Tom Travis urged people who were not in flood zones to stay home.

On the island of Lanai, it was eerily dead still and gray, said Nick Palumbo II, who owns Lanai Surf School and Safari.

"It's relatively like a regular day," he said by telephone. "I got friends calling me telling me there's surf at the beach, and they're actually going surfing right now."

He won't be joining them and instead is staying home with his four children since there's no school.

Palumbo is prepared for the storm after boarding up one large window and stocking up on snack food. He's also got a freezer full of fish he's caught on dives and deer he's hunted on the island to last them through the storm.

"I don't have a generator, but I figure as things thaw out, if the electricity goes, we'll just get cooking," he said.

The central Pacific gets fewer hurricanes than other regions, with about only four or five named storms a year. Hawaii rarely gets hit. The last major storm to hit was Iniki in 1992. Others have come close in recent years.

Napua Puaoi of Wailuku, Maui, said she and her husband planned on boarding up their windows and sliding doors. She was 12 at the time of Hurricane Iniki.

"When it did happen, I just remember pandemonium. It was all-out craziness," she said.

Unlike Florida or Texas, where residents can get in their cars and drive hundreds of miles to safety, people in Hawaii are confined to the islands. They have to make sure they have enough supplies to outlast power outages and other potential emergencies.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency moved several barges packed with food, water, generators and other supplies into the region ahead of Hurricane Hector, which skirted past the islands more than a week ago, FEMA Administrator Brock Long said.

Associated Press writers Mark Thiessen and Dan Joling in Anchorage, Alaska, Seth Borenstein in Washington and Annika Wolters in Phoenix contributed to this report. </s> Find the latest path updates and live tracking information on Hurricane Lane here. All times in BST.

Hurricane Lane, classified as a powerful Category 4 storm, was packing sustained winds of up to 145 miles per hour and is expected to dump as much as 20 inches of rain, triggering flash flooding and landslides, the National Weather Service (NWS) warned.

The barreling storm churned toward the main island of Oahu on Thursday as schools, government offices and business closed while residents stocked up on supplies and boarded up homes.

Hurricane Lane is threatening a potentially deadly direct hit on Hawaii in the regions worst storm in a quarter century.

The latest Google crisis map shows the storm closing in on Hawaii, with wind speeds of a maximum 259km/h.

However, the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System says the storm “can have a low humanitarian impact based on the maximum sustained wind speed, exposed population and vulnerability.”

9.10am update: Residents urged to hunker down with emergency supplies until the storm passes

Dangerous, -force winds are expected to hit Big Island and Maui on Thursday, the National Weather Service said, while Oahu remains under a warning and Kauai was on a hurricane watch meaning it could face such conditions starting Friday morning.

"Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion," the NWS said. "Life threatening impacts are likely in some areas as the makes its closest approach."

Governor David Ige urged residents to prepare for the worst by setting aside a 14-day supply of water, food and medicines in the event of major damage to roads and infrastructure.

He added: "I urge our residents and visitors to take this threat seriously and prepare for a significant impact." </s> Residents of Hawaii on Wednesday braced for a powerful hurricane bearing down on the US state, with warnings issued in several counties in the island chain.

President Donald Trump, in a tweet, urged residents to prepare for Hurricane Lane, which is expected to bring torrential rains, high winds and dangerous surf.

"Everyone in the path of #HurricaneLane please prepare yourselves, heed the advice of State and local officials, and follow @NWSHonolulu for updates. Be safe!," he said.

Lane weakened slightly overnight to a Category 4 storm, packing maximum sustained winds of 155 miles per hour, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center said.

The National Weather Service said a hurricane warning has been issued for Maui County and Hawaii County while a hurricane watch was in effect in Kauai and Oahu.

"The center of Lane will move very close to or over the main Hawaiian Islands from Thursday through Saturday," it said.

It added that though Lane is forecast to weaken in the next 48 hours it will remain a dangerous hurricane as it nears the Hawaiian Islands.

"Lane is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 10 to 15 inches with isolated amounts greater than 20 inches over the Hawaiian Islands," the NWS said.

Hurricanes rarely make landfall in Hawaii and the last major storm to strike the island was nearly three decades ago, when Hurricane Iniki barrelled into the island of Kauai, leaving six people dead and $3 billion in damages.

In preparation for Hurricane Lane, state officials have closed schools and public offices in the counties affected while residents rushed to stores to stock up on water and food.

Governor David Ige on Tuesday declared a state of emergency on the Big Island to help provide relief for damage from the hurricane.

"Hurricane Lane is not a well-behaved hurricane," he said in a statement. "I´ve not seen such dramatic changes in the forecast track as I´ve seen with this storm.

"I urge our residents and visitors to take this threat seriously and prepare for a significant impact." </s> Powerful Hurricane Lane weakened slightly as it swirls towards Hawaii but US forecasters warn that its heavy rains and life-threatening winds still pose a major threat to the Pacific island chain.

The US Central Pacific Hurricane Center on Wednesday downgraded Hurricane Lane to a Category 4, the second-strongest on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale of wind intensity.

Bearing 250km/h winds, it threatened to dump as much as 50cm of rain over parts of the islands, triggering major flash flooding and landslides.

Hawaii is already coping with the three-month eruption of Kilauea volcano on the Big Island, which was expected to start feeling the force of Lane's driving rains by late Wednesday afternoon, the Hawaii-based centre said.

It said further weakening of the cyclone was expected as it continued on a track that could see it take aim at other islands beginning early on Thursday.

"The centre of Lane will track dangerously close to the islands Thursday through Saturday," the advisory said. "Regardless of the exact track of the centre, life threatening impacts are likely in some areas as the hurricane makes its closest approach."

On Tuesday, Hawaii residents scrambled to prepare for the storm's arrival. Cars waited in long lines outside petrol stations in Honolulu and people could be seen pulling small boats from the water ahead of expected pounding surf.

Lane was about 505km south of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, at 5am Hawaii time, US forecasters said. It was expected to begin a turn towards the northwest of the island later on Wednesday, followed by a turn to the north-northwest on Thursday.

A hurricane warning was in effect for all Hawaii County and Maui county, including the islands of Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kahoolawe. A hurricane watch was in effect for Oahu and Kauai. </s> HONOLULU (AP) — The Latest on Hurricane Lane (all times local):

Tourist Elisabeth Brinson says she will ride out the wind and rain on the ninth floor of the Hawaiian Hilton Village in Waikiki, where she was watching surfers and powerful waves from her balcony.

She said Thursday she was not too concerned with flooding, and hotel staff had left notices in English, Japanese and Korean that the rooms would have water and phone service.

She says a backup generator is expected to power an elevator.

The native of the United Kingdom, who now lives in Denver, said many shops were closed or filled with frantic people buying food, water and beer to take back to their rooms.

She said she knew the hurricane was coming and had crammed in as many activities as she could in the past few days.

Forecasters say Hurricane Lane has shifted course and is now moving closer to Hawaii.

National Weather Service meteorologist Melissa Dye said Thursday the shift will put the Big Island and Maui “in the thick” of the hurricane.

She said some parts of the Big Island already have received 20 inches of rain in the past 24 hours.

However, she says the hurricane will weaken due to some possible terrain interaction and other factors that will begin to destroy its core. The timing of the decay was uncertain.

The hurricane is about 275 miles (445 kilometers) south of Honolulu.

Authorities say two campers are trapped in a Hawaii valley that has been hit by heavy rain from an approaching hurricane.

Hawaii County Managing Director Wil Okabe says the campers called to report they were trapped Wednesday in Waipio Valley on the Big Island’s northern coast.

He says emergency workers haven’t been able to contact them since then because of poor cellphone reception.

He says it’s not safe for emergency crews to search for them because of landslides and rivers of rain blocking roads.

Okabe says the south shore of the Big Island is seeing 31-foot swells as Hurricane Lane approaches.

Dangerous, heavy rains and flooding are occurring in east Hawaii as Lane slows down.

Okabe says there are also reports of boulders falling in a Hilo park.

The administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency says the government had positioned generators and other aid in Hawaii well before the anticipated arrival of Hurricane Lane.

FEMA administrator Brock Long said Thursday the supplies arrived in Hawaii after a volcano began oozing lava into neighborhoods in May and in preparation for a recent hurricane that bypassed the islands.

After Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico last year, a FEMA report noted that one of its main issues was not having enough generators and other emergency aid on the island before the storm.

In response, officials stockpiled such items in hard-to-reach areas such as Hawaii and Alaska.

FEMA says the agency has been talking with grocers to make sure food sources are stocked.

Long says he doesn’t anticipate the Jones Act will to be an issue for Hawaii. The federal law requires goods to bypass the state on their way to the mainland before being shipped to Hawaii.

Federal official say Hurricane Lane remains a powerful, category 4 storm that will have a major impact on the Hawaiian islands.

Steve Goldstein of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said at a news conference Thursday that Lane had winds up to 130 mph.

It was about 300 miles south of Honolulu and expected to soak the Big Island before heading toward Maui and Oahu.

Goldstein said a direct strike is not needed to see a significant impact from such a strong hurricane.

Officials say more than 30 inches of rain is possible in some areas, which could mean flooding, dangerous surf of 20 feet, and a storm surge of up to 4 feet above normal levels.

Federal officials said they were prepared to help people on the islands.

Brad Kieserman of the Red Cross said there were 16 emergency shelters open and 283 people across the island already in them.

Torrential downpours from Hurricane Lane are soaking Hawaii’s Big Island as the storm approaches the island.

National Weather Service meteorologist Gavin Shigesato says rain gauges near Hilo had recorded 12 inches (30.5 centimeters) of rain in 12 hours as of 4 a.m. Thursday.

Parts of Maui County also seeing rain as bands of rain extended 350 miles (566 kilometers) from the hurricane’s center.

Hurricane Lane continues to move northwest and tropical storm conditions were expected to reach the Big Island later Thursday morning with hurricane conditions by nightfall.

Shigesato says the hurricane’s speed on Wednesday slowed from 9 mph to 7mph (15 kph to 11 mph).

He says the more stationary hurricane increases the threat of flash floods and landslides because of prolonged, increased rainfall.

President Donald J. Trump has issued a disaster declaration for Hawaii as residents prepare to deal with Hurricane Lane.

Trump issued the declaration on Wednesday. It authorizes the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate disaster relief efforts with the state.

Hurricane Lane was forecast to continue its northwest turn into the islands Thursday. That would make it the most powerful storm to hit Hawaii since Hurricane Iniki in 1992.

Officials opened shelters on the Big Island and the islands of Maui, Molokai and Lanai on Wednesday. They urged those needing to use the Molokai shelter to get there soon because of concerns the main highway could become impassable.

Three inches of rain fell in three hours on the Big Island on Wednesday.

As emergency shelters opened, rain began to pour and cellphone alerts went out, the approaching hurricane started to feel real for Hawaii residents.

Hurricane Lane was forecast to continue its northwest turn into the islands Thursday, which would make it the most powerful storm to hit Hawaii since Hurricane Iniki in 1992.

Those who lived in Hawaii when Iniki hit said they remember the “pandemonium” and were boarding up their houses and stockpiling water.

Officials opened shelters on the Big Island and the islands of Maui, Molokai and Lanai on Wednesday. They urged those needing to use the Molokai shelter to get there soon because of concerns the main highway could become impassable.

Three inches of rain fell in three hours on the Big Island on Wednesday. </s> HONOLULU -- Hurricane Lane soaked Hawaii's Big Island on Thursday, dumping 12 inches (30 centimetres) of rain in as many hours as residents stocked up on supplies and tried to protect their homes ahead of the state's first hurricane since 1992.

The National Weather Service warned that some areas could see up to 30 inches (76 centimetres) before the system passes. Bands of rain extended 350 miles (566 kilometres) from the hurricane's centre.

"Even though the eye is south of the Big Island, we are seeing excessive rainfall already affecting the islands," weather service meteorologist Gavin Shigesato said from Honolulu.

Tropical storm conditions, with winds of 73 mph (118 kph), were expected to reach the Big Island, Hawaii's easternmost major island, later Thursday morning, with hurricane conditions possible later in the day.

As of 2 a.m., the hurricane was 335 miles (540 kilometres) south of Honolulu and moving northwest. Maximum winds had weakened slightly to 130 mph, Shigesato said.

The storm was expected to turn to the north later Thursday and into Friday, with little change expected in forward speed. The centre could move close to or over portions of the main islands on Thursday or Friday. Then the storm will likely turn to the west Saturday and Sunday and pick up speed, forecasters said.

On Wednesday, the hurricane's speed slowed from 9 mph to 7 mph (15 kph to 11 kph), Shigesato said. A slower hurricane increases the threat of flash floods and landslides because of prolonged rainfall.

The arrival of the storm's outer bands made the threat seem more real.

"Everyone is starting to buckle down at this point," said Christyl Nagao of Kauai. "Our families are here. We have businesses and this and that. You just have to man your fort and hold on tight."

Shelters opened Wednesday on the Big Island and on the islands of Maui, Molokai and Lanai. Officials urged those needing the Molokai shelter to get there soon because of concerns that the main highway on the island's south coast could become impassable.

On the island of Oahu, which was put on a hurricane warning late Wednesday, shelters were scheduled to open Thursday. Officials were also working to help Hawaii's sizeable homeless population, many of whom live near beaches and streams that could flood.

Hawaii Emergency Management Agency Administrator Tom Travis said there's not enough shelter space statewide and advised people who were not in flood zones to stay home.

Authorities also warned that the shelters are not designed to withstand winds greater than about 40 mph (64 kph) and that for most people they should be a "last resort."

"Whenever possible, the public should plan to shelter in place or stay with family or friends in homes outside of these hazard areas that were designed, built or renovated to withstand anticipated conditions," the city and county of Honolulu said in a statement.

Hurricanes are ranked 1 to 5 according to what is known as the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Lane is at Category 4, with winds from 130 to 156 mph (209 to 251 kph).

Melanie Davis, who lives in a Honolulu suburb, said she was gathering canned food and baby formula.

"We're getting some bags of rice and, of course, some Spam," she said of the canned lunch meat that's popular in Hawaii.

She was organizing important documents into a folder -- birth and marriage certificates, Social Security cards, insurance paperwork -- and making sure her three children, all under 4, have flotation devices such as swimming vests "just in case."

Public schools were closed for the rest of the week, and local government workers were told to stay home unless they are essential employees.

Meteorologist Chevy Chevalier said Lane may weaken to a Category 3 by Thursday afternoon but that would still be a major hurricane.

The central Pacific gets fewer hurricanes than other regions, with about only four or five named storms a year. Hawaii rarely gets hit. The last major storm to hit was Iniki in 1992. Others have come close in recent years.

"We're planning on boarding up all our windows and sliding doors," Napua Puaoi of Wailuku, Maui, said after buying plywood from Home Depot. "As soon as my husband comes home -- he has all the power tools."

Puaoi was 12 at the time of Hurricane Iniki.

"When it did happen, I just remember pandemonium. It was all-out craziness," she said.

Unlike Florida or Texas, where residents can get in their cars and drive hundreds of miles to safety, people in Hawaii are confined to the islands and must stay put. They have to make sure they have enough supplies to outlast prolonged power outages and other potential emergencies.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has several barges with food, water and supplies that it moved into the region ahead of Hurricane Hector, which skirted past the islands more than a week ago, according to FEMA Administrator Brock Long.

The U.S. Navy was moving ships and submarines out of Hawaii. All vessels not currently undergoing maintenance were being positioned to help respond after the storm, if needed.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump issued a disaster declaration Wednesday, authorizing the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to co-ordinate disaster-relief efforts with the state.

Associated Press writers Mark Thiessen and Dan Joling in Anchorage, Alaska, and Seth Borenstein in Washington contributed to this report. </s> UPDATE: 11 p.m.

Hurricane Lane remained a Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph late Sunday and its updated forecast includes a northwest turn that would bring it closer to the western Hawaiian islands later this week.

The Central Pacific Hurricane Center on Oahu said Lane was 675 miles southeast of Hilo and 885 southeast of Honolulu, moving west at 14 mph, just before 11 p.m. Hurricane-force winds of 75 mph or more extend up to 30 miles from the storm’s center while tropical storm-force winds of 39 mph or more extend 110 miles, forecasters said.

The latest 5-day forecast map for Lane shows the storm weakening but moving northwest by midweek, placing Oahu and Kauai in the track’s so-called “cone of uncertainty.”

The National Weather Service on Oahu issued a “hydrologic outlook” for Hawaii, saying that Lane could bring heavy rain and floods to the islands,

“Latest forecast models indicate that, regardless of the eventual track and intensity of Lane, an extremely moist air mass will move over the islands beginning around Wednesday, and then persist through the end of the week,” forecasters said. “This is expected to result in very heavy rainfall, potentially leading to flash flooding.”

The timing and location of the heavy rain remain uncertain, depending on Lane’s eventual track, but forecasters advise the public to stay informed and to be prepared.

“Due to the large uncertainty in the future track and intensity of Lane, all interests in the Hawaiian islands should continue tomonitor the future progress of this system,” the 11 p.m. forecast said. “Based on the latest trends in the forecast, direct impacts on the islands can not be ruled out. The latest trends in tropical cyclone wind speed probabilities also suggest that a Tropical Storm Watch may be needed for some parts of the island chain early this week.”

In the meantime, Lane is expected to being high surf to the islands.

Eastern shores of the Big Island and Maui will be under a high surf advisory from 6 a.m. Monday to 6 p.m. Tuesday, the National Weather Center said. Waves up to 8-feet are expected.

“Surf may increase to warning levels for east- and/or south-facing shores later Tuesday or Wednesday as Lane progresses westward south of the state,” they said.

Forecasters warn of strong breaking waves, shore break, and strong longshore and rip currents making.

In addition, Hawaiian offshore waters beyond 40 nautical miles out to 240 nautical miles, including the portion of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument east of French Frigate Shoals, are under a hurricane watch.

6:30 p.m.

The National Weather Service issued a hurricane warning this evening for Hawaiian offshore waters beyond 40 nautical miles out to 240 nautical miles.

NWS said there will be significant wave heights and possibility of thunderstorms at sea starting tonight and continuing through the week.

5 p.m.

Hurricane Lane is moving west in the Central Pacific and on a path that will take the category 3 hurricane east-southeast of Hawaii.

Hurricane Lane, with winds at 120 mph, is located 735 miles east-southeast of Hilo and 950 miles east-southeast of Honolulu. Some weakening and a gradual slowing in forward speed is expected through Tuesday.

The Central Pacific Hurricane Center said a large swell generated by Lane is expected to reach the southeast- and east-facing shores of the Big Island and east-facing shores of Maui overnight. The swell may produce large and dangerous surf along these shorelines starting Monday.

A high surf advisory is in effect for east-facing shores of the Big Island and Maui.

11:30 a.m.

As of 11 a.m. today, Hurricane Lane is located approximately 817 miles east-southeast of Hilo and 1,028 miles east-southeast of Honolulu. The storm continues to head west at about 14 mph, with sustained winds near 125 mph and higher gusts.

Lane continues to make its approach toward Hawaii as a Category 3 storm, although some weakening is forecast through Monday night. High surf is expected along southeast- and east-facing shores of Hawaii island, and possibly Maui, by tonight.

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Hurricane Lane maintained its Category 3 intensity overnight, with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph, and is still expected to pass south of the islands this week.

At 5 a.m. today, Lane was about 890 miles east-southeast of Hilo and 1,100 miles east-southeast of Honolulu, traveling west at 15 mph, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Hawaii.

Forecasters said that a “large swell generated by Lane is expected to reach the southeast- and east-facing shores of the Big Island, and possibly east-facing shores of Maui, by this evening,” producing large and dangerous surf by tonight or early Monday.

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale for Hawaii is a 1 to 5 categorization based on the hurricane’s intensity. >> Tropical Storm: winds 39-73 mph >> Category 1: winds 74-95 mph >> Category 2: winds 96-110 mph >> Category 3: winds 111-129 mph >> Category 4: winds 130-156 mph >> Category 5: winds 157 mph and up

Lane has intensified quickly since forming in the East Pacific last week. It entered the Central Pacific Saturday as a Category 4 hurricane but has since weakened slightly. That weakening is expected to continue over the next five days, forecaster said. However, Lane will likely remain a powerful hurricane through Monday night.

Hurricane-force winds extend up to 25 miles from Lane’s center and tropical-storm-force winds extend up to 105 miles, the hurricane center said early this morning.

“Lane is forecast to pass south of the main Hawaiian islands Wednesday and Thursday, potentially causing local impacts as it tracks west-northwestward,” forecasters said. “Interests in those islands should watch the progress of Lane closely, since long-range forecast track and intensity errors can be large.”

The five-day forecast calls for the storm to be a Category 1 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph, by Friday when it is expected to be hundreds of miles southwest of Oahu, according to the hurricane center. </s> Hurricane Lane’s outer bands have been pummeling Hawaii’s Big Island with torrential rain Thursday morning, triggering landslides and threatening serious flooding as the Category 4 cyclone moves perilously close to the Aloha State.

The center of the storm — which could become the first major cyclone to make landfall in the state in 26 years — is expected to move very close to the main islands or cross into land Thursday through Friday, forecasters said.

It could be so devastating that authorities are urging residents to set aside two weeks’ worth of food and water.

“Be prepared to shelter in place with 14 days of food supplies and water and any other necessities,” Hawaii Gov. David Ige said at a news conference Wednesday.

The storm’s center, with maximum sustained winds near 130 mph, was in the Pacific about 210 miles south-southwest of the Big Island town of Kailua-Kona around 5 a.m. HT Thursday (11 a.m. ET).

Landslides are a concern, with 10-30 inches of rain forecast through the weekend — and slides already were happening on the Big Island as the storm’s outer bands hit Thursday morning.

On the Big Island’s northern tip, landslides were blocking parts of Route 19, the county civil defense agency said.

About 7 to 12 inches of rain already had fallen on parts of the Big Island by early Thursday, the National Weather Service office in Honolulu said.

Buses around Honolulu have been picking up residents in need and taking them to shelters. All public schools canceled classes until further notice, and many state employees have been asked to stay home.

Tropical storm force winds (39-73 mph) stretch out to 140 miles, so even if the hurricane doesn’t make landfall, it could have widespread impact. Lane threatens to bring dangerous winds, landslides, rough surf and major flooding.

All of the islands are under weather alerts.

A hurricane warning is in effect for the Big Island as well as Maui County and Oahu — meaning hurricane conditions are expected there. Kauai and Niihau are under a hurricane watch, meaning hurricane conditions are possible and that winds of at least 39 mph are anticipated in the comings days.

Why is Hurricane Lane so rare?

The Central Pacific gets few hurricanes and tropical storms. The Atlantic or Eastern Pacific usually see many more named storms.

Hawaii is a small target in a vast ocean, and isn’t often threatened. Hawaii gets a named storm within 60 miles of its coastline about once every four years on average, forecasters say.

Lane could become a further rarity if its center crosses land. Only two hurricanes have made landfall in Hawaii since the 1950s: Hurricane Dot in 1959, and Hurricane Iniki in 1992.

People have been rushing to stores for supplies and are stocking up on canned foods, ramen, water and toilet paper.

Some were going for plywood to board their windows and for generators. Others have been filling up propane tanks and waiting in lines that circle around the block to get gas for their cars.

“(I’m) filling up my bathtub with some water, hoping to board up my main windows in time,” a shopper on the Big Island, Shana Bartolome, told CNN affiliate KHON on Tuesday.

Authorities are asking people to seek shelter before it’s too late or to stay in their homes if they believe those structures can withstand hurricane winds.

Many others are leaving. Long lines were seen at airports in Honolulu as hundreds of people tried to catch flights out of the islands before the storm comes closer.

The 15 airports throughout the state will remain open as long they don’t suffer damage to their infrastructure or the debris “makes flight operations unsafe,” the Hawaii Department of Transportation said in a statement.

President Donald Trump approved a disaster declaration for Hawaii on Wednesday ahead of the storm.

In a statement announcing Trump’s approval, Gov. David Ige said Hawaii had submitted the request for a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration to help with the impact the hurricane may have in the islands.

“The approval of the Presidential Disaster Declaration means that Hawai’i will have quick and efficient access to federal resources in the wake of Hurricane Lane, as our communities and residents recover from any damage and losses caused by the storm. We are grateful to the president and FEMA for the swift approval of our request as our state braces for the severe weather ahead,” the governor said.

What are experts saying?

Tropical-storm-force winds — 39-73 mph — and rain could be seen on portions of the Big Island and Maui County on Thursday, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center said.

As Hurricane Lane’s outer bands approach the islands, steady and heavy rain could lead to major flash flooding. Most areas are expected to see 10 to 20 inches through Sunday, while some could get more than 30 inches.

“The combination of a dangerous storm surge and large breaking waves will raise water levels by as much as 2 to 4 feet above normal tide levels along south and west facing shores near the center of Lane,” the hurricane center said.

The surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.

While the exact path of Lane remains uncertain, CNN meteorologist Pedram Javaheri says the storm could weaken as it nears the islands. Conditions could trigger a weakening of Lane in the coming days, but it would still be dangerous because it’s likely to remain a Category 1 cyclone. </s> Hurricane Lane is barreling west across the Pacific Ocean on a course that will bring it close to Hawaii next week. With winds of 100 mph, Lane is now a Category 2 hurricane on a scale of one to five. It is now expected to reach Category 4, with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph this weekend.

“Lane’s cloud pattern has improved significantly this morning, and the cyclone is currently undergoing rapid intensification,” the National Hurricane Center writes in its latest update.

Rapid intensification is defined as an increase in wind speeds of at least 35 mph over the course of 24 hours. With the increase in wind speed also comes a decrease in central pressure. Rapid intensification has been a frequent occurrence in all tropical cyclone basins of late, and was seen on numerous occasions during the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season.

“Lane appears poised for further rapid strengthening during the next 24 hours,” the Hurricane Center added. “Impressive outflow in all quadrants, warm [sea surface temperatures], and the absence of earlier noted dry air intrusion all point to this scenario.”

During its closest pass to Hawaii, the Hurricane Center now brings the center of Lane within 250 miles of the southern shore of the Big Island. However, within the storm’s cone of uncertainty (below), the storm’s northern edge is only about 65 miles offshore.

The Hurricane Center says there is up to a 10 percent chance hurricane-force winds buffet the south shores of the Big Island.

With Lane still several days away, National Weather Service forecast office in Honolulu concludes, “It is too soon to know if Lane will directly affect the Hawaiian Islands.”

Direct impacts like wind and rain are only one aspect of an extreme storm like Lane. Large waves are increasingly likely to batter parts of Hawaii as it passes. The Big Island is set to face the brunt, with swells approaching or surpassing 15 feet possible on its southern and eastern facing shoreline.

The increased swell aspect is a long-duration event, with high wave heights expected from at least Monday through Thursday.

Lane comes on the heels of Hurricane Hector, which nearly reached Category 5 strength in its run by Hawaii earlier this month. That was part of a 4,200-mile journey across the Pacific. Although Lane is south of where Hector was at this point in its life, Lane may end up taking a similar path.

As Capital Weather Gang’s tropical weather expert Brian McNoldy pointed out, Hector was a rare tropical cyclone to be named in all three basins of the Pacific. It’s not impossible Lane could try to follow those footsteps.

Although both Hector and Lane may be somewhat odd on their own, in many hurricane seasons we see similar weather patterns dominate for much of the summer and fall. The extreme 2017 Atlantic hurricane season was a recent example. While any of the mega hurricanes and their tracks may have been peculiar, the unrelenting pattern conducive to the parade of storms remained in place for weeks.

Hurricane Lane is part of tropical cyclones that have tracked closer to Hawaii than common in the recent past. Increases in the availability of warm water and favorable atmospheric conditions are attributes of climate change which may be facilitating the increased frequency of close passes there.

Although Hawaii has been lucky to escape a direct hit from any of these major hurricanes in recent years, it is already seeing higher tides and increased flooding during these events, and it is something we could see from Lane even if it stays well offshore.
Hurricane Lane causes flash flooding, and threatens a direct hit towards Hawaii as it passes through Oahu. Over 19 inches (48 cm) of rain has already fallen in some areas.