Hawaii can breathe a little easier, not completely. Hurricane Nolo spent the weekend moving away from the Big Island after a zigzag path that had residents filling sandbags and boarding up shops. Its center stayed well to the south and southwest, yet a high wind warning and surf advisory remained in place on Sunday, and heavy rain and flash flooding stayed a real risk.
What makes this harder is timing. Parts of the state are still recovering from a rough year that included a March flood, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake in May and last month's Hurricane Lala. Governor Josh Green said earlier disasters damaged or destroyed about 1,290 homes, with recovery costs near a billion dollars before Nolo even showed up. Forecasters say Nolo could strengthen further as it turns northwest toward a protected marine monument. It is a reminder that this El Niño-fueled Pacific season is not slowing down.
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