The Coast Guard in Honolulu said it will move its big cutters out to sea to avoid Tropical Storm Ana, and it’s advising boat owners to move and/or secure their vessels in port with sea surge and winds expected from the storm.

Ana may impact the southern edge of the Big Island on Sunday and affect Oahu and Kauai Sunday and Monday with hurricane force winds of 75 to 90 mph.

The Coast Guard is advising people to stay off the water as the storm approaches.

“The sea state is just going to continue to get worse between now and when the storm completely passes the Islands,” said Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Scott Carr. “But there will come a point in time when Coast Guard units are not going to be able to respond at the height of the storm. So we really want to encourage people to stay off the water. Not just mariners, but beachgoers as well.”

Visitors should heed warnings from lifeguards and public health and safety officials.

“Although weather conditions may be good, riptides and high surf may impact beaches far in advance of the actual storm,” the Coast Guard said.

Carr said the Coast Guard will move its large cutters out to sea possibly hundreds of miles away from the storm. Smaller 87-foot patrol boats will move to a safer mooring, probably in Pearl Harbor, he said.

Coast Guard helicopters will be shifted to a more sheltered spot at Air Station Barbers Point, and two C-130 propeller planes will move off island, possibly to Midway, Carr said.

Owners of large boats are urged by the Coast Guard to move their vessels to protected marinas. 

The Coast Guard said it may be advisable for smaller boats to be pulled from the water. If boats remain in port, care should be taken to ensure they are strongly secured to the pier, Carr said.