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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Shonna Snodgrass of Stafford, Va., left and Gwen Johnson of Sacramento, Calif. show the "shaka" or hang-loose sign while enjoying the sun on Waikiki beach in Honolulu on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2014. Hawaii residents prepared for what could be the first hurricane to hit the state in more than 20 years. (AP Photo/Audrey McAvoy)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
People lounge on Waikiki's beaches in Honolulu on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2014. Hawaii residents prepared for what could be the first hurricane to hit the state in more than 20 years as weather officials said an approaching storm appears to have strengthened and will likely maintain its speed as it heads toward the islands. (AP Photo/Audrey McAvoy)
Tourists in Waikiki were trying to get in some last-minute beach time before the first of two hurricanes in the area hits the island chain Thursday and Friday.
“Everybody says this is the last day of good weather, so we came down to the beach,” Shonna Snodgrass, a tourist in Waikiki visiting from Stafford, Va., said Wednesday.
Travelers got their first word of disrupted flights Thursday, when commuter airline Island Air said it was canceling some afternoon flights between the islands and shutting down all operations Friday.
Hurricane Iselle was expected to arrive on the Big Island on Thursday evening, bringing heavy rains, winds gusting up to 85 mph and flooding in some areas. Weather officials changed their outlook on the system Wednesday after seeing it get a little stronger, giving it enough oomph to stay a hurricane as it reaches landfall.
Hurricane Julio, meanwhile, swirled closely behind with maximum winds whipping at 100 mph. The National Hurricane Center said it expected the storm to strengthen even more Thursday before gradually weakening by Thursday night. That weakening is expected to continue into the weekend.
Hawaii has been directly hit by hurricanes only three times since 1950, though the region has had 147 tropical cyclones over that time. The last time Hawaii was hit with a tropical storm or hurricane was in 1992, when Hurricane Iniki killed six people and destroyed more than 1,400 homes in Kauai, said meteorologist Eric Lau.
The two hurricanes have disrupted tourism, prompted flash flood warnings and led to school closures. Gov. Neil Abercrombie, meanwhile, signed an emergency proclamation allowing officials to tap into a disaster fund set aside by the state Legislature.
“The sole purpose is to see to it the health and safety of the people of Hawaii is first and foremost,” Abercrombie said at a news conference surrounded by his cabinet members.
Hawaiian Airlines waived reservation change fees and fare differences for passengers who needed to alter travel plans Thursday and Friday because of the storms. Hawaiian Airlines spokeswoman Ann Botticelli said hundreds of inquires poured in from customers seeking to change their flights.
Some travelers remained hopeful.
Boston resident Jonathan Yorke and his wife booked a Hawaii vacation with their two daughters last year. He has been watching the news to see how the storms could affect the two-week trip to Maui and the Big Island.
“We’re all optimists, so we’ll make the best of it,” Yorke said.
Washington state couple Tracy Black and Chris Kreifels made plans to get married in an outdoor ceremony on the Big Island Saturday. They spent Wednesday getting a marriage license, adjusting plans and communicating with worried guests on the mainland.
“We see the rain as a blessing,” Black said. “It will work out as it’s supposed to.”
In Waikiki, Gwen Johnson wondered if she would make her flight home Thursday.
“We’re leaving tomorrow and I’m a little concerned if we’ll be able to get out with the turbulence and stuff,” she said.
It wasn’t immediately clear what financial impact the storms would have on the state’s tourism industry, a key economic driver.
Hawaii residents also have had to adjust. Stores have seen long lines this week as people brace themselves.
Some are voting early in primary elections that close Saturday. The elections include several marquee races, including congressional and gubernatorial races. Abercrombie — who is running for re-election in a tight Democratic primary — said the election is expected to move forward as planned as of Wednesday afternoon.
Also, education officials said public schools on the Big Island, Maui, Molokai and Lanai will be closed Thursday.
The storms are rare but not unexpected in years with a developing El Nino, a change in ocean temperature that affects weather around the world.
Ahead of this year’s hurricane season, weather officials warned that the wide swath of the Pacific Ocean that includes Hawaii could see four to seven tropical cyclones this year.
