Nolo strengthens to Category 3 hurricane in remote Pacific, away from populated islands
Version 2: Associated Press reporting in English and Spanish has been added, confirming Nolo's Category 3 strength and the tropical storm warning but giving a different location and forward speed for the storm than ABC News, while The New York Post's updated Sunday advisory adds a projected Category 4 peak and a new reference to Hurricane Polo's earlier damage in Mexico and Southern California.
In short
Hurricane Nolo strengthened into a Category 3 storm in the remote Pacific Ocean, with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 kph), the National Hurricane Center said. A tropical storm warning was issued for part of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, where the center said large surf could inundate low-lying atolls, but no threat was forecast for populated islands. The New York Post, citing a Sunday advisory, reported Nolo could peak near Category 4 around Oct. 5–6 before weakening later in the week.
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Nolo strengthened into a major hurricane in the remote Pacific Ocean on Saturday, with maximum sustained winds rapidly intensifying to 115 mph (185 kph), the Miami-based National Hurricane Center reported — making it a Category 3 storm. The hurricane center said no threat was in the forecast for any populated islands, with the storm far to the west of Hawaii's main islands and population centres. [ 1 , 3 ]
The outlets gave differing positions for the storm. The Associated Press said Nolo was located about 200 miles (320 kilometers) south-southwest of Lisianski Island and moving westward at 20 mph (31 kph). ABC News said it was about 210 miles (335 kilometers) south-southwest of Maro Reef and moving westward at 17 mph (28 kph). [ 1 , 3 ]
A tropical storm warning was issued for the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, described by ABC News as a massive and remote federally protected area with islands, atolls, seamounts, shoals and coral reefs, from Maro Reef to Lisianski Island. The hurricane center said large surf associated with Nolo “will likely inundate some of the low-lying atolls,” and that the storm was expected to cross the international date line on Sunday. [ 1 , 3 ]
The storm's recent history was reported differently. The Associated Press and ABC News said Nolo skirted Hawaii as a hurricane a week earlier, lost some of its strength and became a tropical storm before regaining hurricane strength on Friday. The New York Post said Nolo swept past the Hawaiian Islands on Saturday and that while the hurricane watch was cancelled, officials warned of lingering threats including flash flooding, high winds and hazardous surf, particularly in areas still recovering from earlier storms. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Citing a Sunday morning advisory, the New York Post reported Nolo strengthened into a Category 3 storm overnight and was projected to keep strengthening over the next 24 to 36 hours, peaking around Oct. 5–6 as a Category 4 storm with sustained winds of 132 mph and gusts up to 161 mph. The center said, according to the Post: “Additional strengthening is forecast over the next day or so, before a weakening trend begins around the middle part of the week.” The Post said the storm was forecast to weaken steadily by Oct. 7–9, dropping back to tropical storm strength with winds under 60 mph. [ 4 ]
Separately, Category 1 Hurricane Rachel continued heading westward on a path away from Mexico's west coast. The Associated Press and ABC News reported that dangerous swells were forecast through the weekend for the coast of west-central Mexico and through Monday for the Baja California Peninsula. The New York Post said Rachel drifted off Mexico's western coast on Friday and was expected to maintain hurricane strength into early next week, and noted that Hurricane Polo had wreaked havoc across Mexico and Southern California days earlier. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
Nolo is a major hurricane, but the outlets reporting it say it is far from population centres and poses no forecast threat to populated islands, limiting its immediate human impact. The main concern is hazardous surf and possible flooding of low-lying atolls inside the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, a remote federally protected area. The New York Post reported the storm is expected to weaken by the middle of next week.
Key facts
- Nolo strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane in the remote Pacific Ocean, with maximum sustained winds rapidly intensifying to 115 mph (185 kph), the National Hurricane Center said. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The Associated Press said Nolo was about 200 miles (320 kilometers) south-southwest of Lisianski Island and moving westward at 20 mph (31 kph); ABC News said it was about 210 miles (335 kilometers) south-southwest of Maro Reef and moving westward at 17 mph (28 kph). [ 1 , 3 ]
- A tropical storm warning was issued for the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument from Maro Reef to Lisianski Island. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The hurricane center said large surf associated with Nolo would likely inundate some low-lying atolls, while no threat was in the forecast for any populated islands. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Nolo was expected to cross the international date line on Sunday. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- The New York Post, citing a Sunday morning advisory, reported Nolo could peak as a Category 4 storm around Oct. 5–6 with sustained winds of 132 mph and gusts up to 161 mph. [ 4 ]
- Category 1 Hurricane Rachel continued heading westward on a path away from Mexico's west coast, with dangerous swells forecast through the weekend for the coast of west-central Mexico and through Monday for the Baja California Peninsula. [ 1 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Hurricane Nolo reached Category 3 strength in the remote Pacific Ocean, with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- No threat was in the forecast for any populated islands. [ 1 , 3 ]
- A tropical storm warning was issued for the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument from Maro Reef to Lisianski Island. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The hurricane center said large surf from Nolo could inundate low-lying atolls in the monument. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Nolo was expected to cross the international date line. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Nolo had previously reached hurricane strength near Hawaii, weakened to a tropical storm and regained hurricane strength on Friday. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Nolo's exact position and forward speed. The Associated Press placed the storm about 200 miles south-southwest of Lisianski Island and moving at 20 mph, while ABC News placed it about 210 miles south-southwest of Maro Reef and moving at 17 mph.
- When Nolo last affected Hawaii. The Associated Press and ABC News said the storm skirted Hawaii as a hurricane a week earlier, while the New York Post said it swept past the Hawaiian Islands on Saturday.
- Whether Nolo will reach Category 4 strength and when it will begin weakening. Only the New York Post, citing a Sunday morning advisory, gave a forward intensity forecast — a peak near Category 4 around Oct. 5–6 and a return to tropical storm strength by Oct. 7–9; the other documents reported only the storm's current status.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The Associated Press reports Nolo strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane with 115 mph winds, about 200 miles south-southwest of Lisianski Island and moving west at 20 mph, with a tropical storm warning in effect from Maro Reef to Lisianski Island. [ 1 ]
- The Associated Press's Spanish-language report says Nolo became a Category 3 hurricane far from the coasts of the Pacific Ocean. [ 2 ]
- ABC News reports Nolo as a Category 3 hurricane with 115 mph winds, about 210 miles south-southwest of Maro Reef and moving west at 17 mph. [ 3 ]
- The New York Post, citing a Sunday morning National Hurricane Center advisory, reports Nolo strengthened to Category 3 overnight and is forecast to peak near Category 4 around Oct. 5–6 while crossing the international date line away from the main Hawaiian Islands. [ 4 ]