Hurricane Madeline showed power as it churned toward Hawaii on Tuesday, peaking at a dangerous Category Four strength before slackening, US weather officials said, reports BSS.
The storm, which is expected to pass near Hawaii’s Big Island sometime Wednesday, has the potential to unleash dangerous flash floods and mudslides, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center said.
At 0000 GMT Wednesday, Madeline was a Category Two storm with maximum sustained winds around 110 miles (177 kilometers) per hour. Winds had reached 130 miles per hour earlier in the day, making the hurricane a Category Four storm at the time.
Barack Obama and other dignitaries are supposed to visit Hawaii for the World Conservation Congress
Madeline threatens to disrupt a planned visit by President Barack Obama and other dignitaries to Hawaii for the World Conservation Congress, a major meeting of thousands of delegates, including heads of state, scientists and policy makers. The massive storm was located 350 miles east of Hilo, Hawaii, traveling at 10 miles per hour toward the west.
“On the forecast track, the center of Madeline will pass dangerously close to Hawaii County Wednesday and Wednesday night,” the center said in its advisory, referring to the Big Island.
Madeline was expected to gradually weaken over the next 48 hours. Hurricane-force winds extended 25 miles from the center of the storm, while tropical storm-force winds extended out 125 miles.
The US weather agency said swells generated by Madeline were expected to affect eastern shorelines beginning later Tuesday, with some strong enough to damage the coastline in the coming days.
Madeline is expected to dump five to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters) of rain on Hawaii, with some areas receiving up to 15 inches.
The World Conservation Congress is set to take place in Hawaii from Thursday to next Saturday. Obama is scheduled to address the gathering on its opening day.
