Some Cut Hawaiian Vacations Short, Fearing Hurricanes Iselle, Julio
By Bob Redell and Lisa Fernandez ••
Some Bay Area travelers cut their vacations short, leaving Hawaii before two hurricanes are expected to hit the Big Island. Bob Redell reports.
Jessica Rudd cut her Hawaiian vacation short by two days, returning to San Francisco International Airport on Thursday with her family, because she and her husband were worried about the two hurricanes expected to slam the Big Island.
"We got out early," she said, speaking from the baggage claim area at SFO. "We have a 3- and a 5-year-old. And it just wouldn't be fun." [[270416941, R]]
Chuck Hein also left Hawaii early, as tourists and natives living on islands are bracing for Hurricane Iselle to hit Honolulu by midnight 9 a.m. local time Friday and Hurricane Julio to hit Sunday night.
"They're running out water....batteries," he said. "They're running out of everything."
NBC Bay Area Meteorologist Christina Loren, who is in Hawaii for her wedding, has been tweeting pictures from her honeymoon. On Wednesday, she showed bare shelves in Lahaina as people were scrambling to buy all the Fiji water bottles. On Thursday, she showed dark clouds over Lahaina, and resort decks where guests were told to bring in patio furniture before the winds hit - otherwise they could become projectiles.
As of Thursday, Hurricane Iselle was advancing toward Hawaii's Big Island as a Category 1 storm. But despite fierce winds and heavy rain, Iselle was expected to weaken to a tropical storm by the time it hits Honolulu. And at SFO, only one morning flight to Honolulu had been canceled.
Tropical storm warnings were issued for Oahu, Kauai and Maui and a flash flood warning was in effect for the entire island chain. Meteorologists predicted that Julio is also expected to weaken to a tropical storm before making landfall. Still, there's plenty to worry about.
"It's that one-two punch we're worried about," Meteorologist Dan Cooke said. "I don't think either of these storms is going to deliver a knockout, but the 1-2 punch could be serious.
Not serious enough to stop Evalynna Ho of San Francisco and her two children from catching a flight out of SFO Thursday morning for a family trip to Honolulu.
Courtesy of Christina Loren family
Juan Bella and Christina Loren get married on Aug. 6, 2014 in Maui.
AP
Homeless people take shelter in their camp near Kakaako Waterfront Park in Honolulu on Friday, Aug, 8, 2014. Iselle came ashore early Friday as a weakened tropical storm, while Hurricane Julio, close behind it, strengthened and is forecasted to pass north of the islands.
AP
In preparation for heavy winds, workers at the Hale Koa Hotel remove an awning from an outdoor stage in Honolulu on Friday, Aug, 8, 2014. Iselle came ashore early Friday as a weakened tropical storm, while Hurricane Julio, close behind it, strengthened and is forecasted to pass north of the islands. Iselle is the first tropical storm to hit the state in 22 years.
AP
With a rainbow in the background, a surfer paddles to shore in Honolulu on Friday, Aug, 8, 2014.
AP
Visitors Sharon Zappa, left, of Florida, and Vicki Stearns, of Chicago, walk along the beach in Waikiki in Honolulu on Friday, Aug, 8, 2014.
AP
Two surfers head for the waves in Honolulu on Friday, Aug, 8, 2014. High surf is expected in some spots on Oahu due to Tropical Storm Iselle.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Crowds line up inside the departures terminal at the Honolulu International Airport in Honolulu on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014. With Iselle, Hawaii is expected to take its first direct hurricane hit in 22 years.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
While surrounded by state and local officials, Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie speaks at a news conference at the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency in Diamond Head, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014, in Honolulu.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
A sign inside the Walmart McDonalds restaurant alerts customers that it sent its employees home early in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014, as the area prepares for Hurricane Iselle.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
A man pushes a shopping cart outside of a Walmart store that boarded its entrance and closed early in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014, as the area prepares for Hurricane Iselle.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This image provided by NOAA taken at 2 a.m. EDT Friday Aug. 8, 2014 shows Hurricane Iselle approaching the Island of Hawaii, left as Hurricane Julio with a well defined eye follows.
AP
Anne Kllingshirn of Kailua, Hawaii walks with her daughter Emma, 1, as storm clouds are are seen during the sunrise hours on Kailua Beach, in Kailua, Hawaii, Thursday morning August 7, 2014.
AP
People walk past a pallet of bottled water being delivered to a shop in Waikiki in Honolulu on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014.
Christina Loren
Rainbow in Maui as winds blow before Hurricane Iselle expected to hit by Aug. 8, 2014. Aug. 7, 2014
Getty Images
PACIFIC OCEAN - AUGUST, 2014: In this composite image provided by NASA, Hurricane Iselle (L) is followed by Hurricane Julio as they approach Hawaii from the east in early August, 2014. Hurricane Iselle is exppected to make landfall on August 7th, making it Hawaii's first hurricane in 22 years. This image is a composite of three satellite passes over the tropical Pacific Ocean of August 5th. (Photo by NASA/Jeff Schmaltz/LANCE/EOSDIS Rapid Response via Getty Images)
Christina Loren
Bare shelves in Lahaina, Hawaii, where customers are grabbing Fiji water bottles before Hurricanes Iselle and Julio are supposed to hit. Aug. 7, 2014
Christina Loren
Resorts in Maui asked guests to pull in their patio furniture before Hurricanes Iselle and Julio hit. Aug. 7, 2014
Christina Loren
Rainbow in Maui as winds blow before Hurricanes Iselle and Julio are expected to hit. Aug. 7, 2014
Christina Loren
Clouds increasing over Lahaina as Hurricanes Iselle approaches the Hawaiian Islands. Aug. 7, 2014
AP
This image provided by NOAA taken Thursday Aug. 7, 2014 at 2 a.m. EDT shows Hurricane Iselle, left and Hurricane Julio. Iselle was supposed to weaken as it slowly trudged west across the Pacific.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Shoppers lift cases of bottled water in preparation for a hurricane and tropical storm heading toward Hawaii at the Iwilei Costco in Honolulu on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2014.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Shoppers stock up on cases of bottled water and other supplies in preparation for a hurricane and tropical storm heading toward Hawaii at the Iwilei Costco in Honolulu on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2014.
Courtesy of Christina Loren family
Juan Bella nad NBC Bay Area Meteorologist Christina Loren get married on Aug. 6, 2014 in Maui.
Christina Loren
Rainbow in Maui as winds blow before Hurricane Iselle expected to hit by Aug. 8, 2014. Aug. 7, 2014
She said she and her family have been to Hawaii many times before and aren't bothered if they have to spend time indoors.
Instead of playing outside, they'll read instead.
"It's not like we'll say, 'Oh what a bummer we're not going to the beach thing."
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