Take that, paradise!!!
Hurricane Flossie weakened to a Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 126 mph (202.7 kph) as it roared toward Hawaii, but it was expected to pass by the islands.
Forecasters earlier Monday had said cooler weather would weaken the storm to a Category 1 hurricane, with sustained wind of at least 74 mph (119 kph), by the time it passes about 90 miles (144.8 kilometers) south of the Big Island of Hawaii late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
But on Monday, forecasters said they now expected a Category 3 hurricane, with little change in strength when it passes the island.
"The intensity has remained stronger than what was originally forecast, but the track has been pretty much right on," said Jim Weyman, the National Weather Service's meteorologist in charge in Honolulu.
The Central Pacific Hurricane Center said Flossie "remains a dangerous hurricane with a clear well-defined eye and good outflow. ... It must be noted that Flossie has been surprisingly resilient to cooler ocean temperatures so far."
The weather service placed the Big Island under a hurricane watch and a tropical storm warning. A flash flood watch was also issued for the island through Wednesday, with possible flash flooding in areas.
Governor Linda Lingle signed an emergency disaster proclamation, which authorizes the state to activate the Hawaii National Guard and provides access to emergency money.
At 0000 GMT, Flossie was about 365 miles (587.4 kilometers) southeast of Hilo, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center said. It was moving west-northwest at about 15 mph (24.1 kph).
Meteorologists cautioned that even a slight change of course in the unpredictable storm could take it closer to land.
"If Flossie misses us, that's great. But we're still in hurricane season," said Ray Lovell, spokesman for the state Civil Defense Agency.
The last time a hurricane hit Hawaii was in 1992, when Iniki ravaged Kauai, killing six people.
Hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.
The islands get an average of 4.5 tropical cyclones a year; only about one every 15 years is powerful enough to be a hurricane.
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