Hawaii Isn't Prepared for a Future With Major Hurricanes
*By Carlo Versano*
Hurricane Lane, a major Category 4 storm, lashed the Big Island of Hawaii Thursday as it churned through the Pacific. The hurricane could be the strongest to hit the island chain in 25 years and, according to Andrew Freedman at Axios, is "doing pretty much the worst thing it could possibly do."
Though Lane is weakening and slowing, according to the latest from the [National Weather Service](https://twitter.com/NWSHonolulu), the potential for torrential rain, storm surge, and landslide conditions will loom over the next two days.
Hawaii is not used to hurricane prep. The islands benefit from a combination of cooler waters during prime season and a ridge of high pressure that typically protects it from tropical systems. The last major hurricane to hit [famously](http://articles.latimes.com/1992-09-13/news/mn-1196_1_hurricane-iniki) made landfall during the filming of "Jurassic Park" in 1992.
"Whenever storms try and come up, they fizzle out when they get there," Freedman, Axios's science editor, said Thursday in an interview on Cheddar.
But this year, an El Niño effect is keeping the Pacific water warmer, making Hawaiians more vulnerable to hurricanes. And with more climate change, Hawaii will experience severe tropical weather, Freedman said.
"This is a sign of things to come," he forecast.
The pristine shores of Maui and Oahu are likely to experience waves as high as 20 feet, with the potential for beach erosion, coastal and flash flooding, and sustained hurricane-force winds in the capital of Honolulu through Saturday. Because Lane is moving so slowly and will touch each island ー and given the terrain ー Hawaiians should be prepared for a "potential flooding disaster," hurricane expert Dr. Rick Knabb [tweeted] (https://twitter.com/DrRickKnabb/status/1032635284125622272) on Thursday.
Further complicating the situation, Hawaii has no easy procedure for mass evacuations. Its shelter system isn't designed for major hurricanes, Freedman said.
"They're not accustomed to this."
For full interview [click here] (https://cheddar.com/videos/hurricane-lane-could-be-most-destructive-hurricane-to-hit-hawaii-in-almost-three-decades).
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