ROB SCHMITZ, HOST:
Tropical storm Lala has spun into a hurricane as it closes in on Hawaii's Big Island. If it makes landfall there, it would be the first hurricane to do so since 1871. Forecasters say this storm could dump as much as 25 inches of rain. For more, we turn to Bill Dorman of Hawaii Public Radio. Hey, Bill.
BILL DORMAN, BYLINE: Hey, Rob. How are you?
SCHMITZ: I'm well. Thank you. Bill, you're on the island of Oahu right now. That's around 150, 200 miles away from the Big Island. What are you hearing about what's happening on the Big Island?
DORMAN: High winds and heavy rains - that's the story in a nutshell. Seeing pictures, hearing from people as well, the size of this storm is unusual. We're feeling some early impacts here, but it's really the Big Island of Hawaii. It's Maui that's going to be feeling it after that. And the size of the storm - unusual. It has what meteorologists call a large windfield. The winds stretch out more than 200 miles from the center, so the impact of the storm is going far beyond the location of the center right now off Hawaii Island.
SCHMITZ: Now, of course, Hawaii is roughly a six-hour flight to the U.S. mainland, so people can't easily evacuate to other places. How have people been preparing for this?
DORMAN: Yeah, it is a matter of sheltering in place for those who can do so. People in Hawaii are used to dealing with storms. That's the first choice for many folks if evacuations are ordered. There are emergency shelters that have been set up on Hawaii Island and on other islands as well in preparation for this.
A lot of it comes down to vulnerability. You know, Hawaii is the most isolated island archipelago in the world, so nobody's going to be driving off island, but some locations are more vulnerable than others. So, for example, low-lying areas that can face storm surges are one concern, but that - we'll see how this goes on the evacuation front, as well.
SCHMITZ: So we mentioned that this is - this would be the first hurricane to hit the Big Island since 1871. Why is it so rare for a hurricane to make landfall there?
DORMAN: A number of reasons. Stormy weather is common from time to time. This is hurricane season. But mostly they do stay offshore or come ashore in slightly weakened forms. A lot of that has to do with geography. Hawaii is a chain of volcanic islands, and the jagged peaks break up the wind shear for incoming storms. Tropical storms of high winds, drenching rains are here but not hurricanes as much. The focus here - not just wind speed though, as Governor Josh Green pointed out in a late-day news conference yesterday.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
JOSH GREEN: It's not just the amount of wind. It's the heavy rainfall. It's the flooding. It's the entirety of this storm which gives us pause. And again, this is a very serious storm. We have not had a hurricane make landfall in quite some time.
SCHMITZ: Now, Bill, the Big Island is not flat. I mean, you've got steep hills, mountains. I would imagine that there's a fear of landslides given the amount of rain that's forecasted there.
DORMAN: There is, on a number of levels. Landslide, mud slides, as well rock falls - those are all part of it. Saturation of ground is another concern - flooding, flash flooding, storm surges near the coast. So there are many layers to this and many layers of concern for the people of Hawaii. And again, Hawaii Island is the main focus of this, but that's expected to - the system is expected to move through the islands as the weekend goes on.
SCHMITZ: That is Bill Dorman with Hawaii Public Radio. Bill, thank you.
DORMAN: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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