Nolo Set to Become Major Hurricane as Hawaii Braces for Flooding

Tropical Storm Nolo is expected to intensify into a major hurricane as it bears down on Hawaii's Big Island, with forecasters warning of potentially severe flooding across the state.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said on Thursday that Nolo would strengthen into a hurricane by late in the day and draw close to the Big Island on Friday night. The storm could unload one to two feet of rain on the island, triggering flash flooding, while Maui is also likely to see extremely heavy rainfall through Saturday.

Satellite imagery spanning the Pacific showed three active systems at once: Nolo, still classified as a tropical storm as of Thursday night, alongside hurricanes Odalys and Polo. The NOAA noted that Nolo is the fourth tropical cyclone to affect Hawaii in 2026.

Polo was skirting Mexico's Pacific coast and was expected to head out to sea before turning back toward the Mexican coast farther north on Saturday. Odalys, positioned deep in the Pacific, posed no threat to the continental United States.

Residents of the Big Island and Maui are facing the prospect of a soaking that could bring dangerous conditions over the coming days.