Although Hurricane Lane has weakened to a tropical storm, it’s moisture is dumping on Hawaii — as warned. 44 inches and counting have flooded the entirety of the Big Island, and a flood warning has been issued for Maui too.
The big picture: Historically, water is a top hurricane killer. And while Hurricane Lane is virtually diminished as an organized tropical cyclone, its torrential rains are tormenting the islands.
Editor's note:We have finished live updates for Friday, August 24, and our coverage will resume on Saturday. Scroll down for the most recent updates.
Hurricane Lane is drifting towards what may be Maui and Oahu's closest encounter with a significant hurricane since statehood in 1959. The storm remains a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale, and is causing "catastrophic" flooding on the Big Island, where more than 30 inches of rain have already fallen.
The big picture: The storm is creeping northward at just 5 miles per hour, prolonging the wind and flooding threats for the Hawaiian Islands. And even though the storm is just 24 hours away from its closest pass with Maui and Oahu, where Honolulu could see hurricane force winds for hours on end, the exact track is still murky.
