HONOLULU - Weather officials have downgraded the tropical storm that is moving through Hawaii to a tropical depression, reflecting the system’s weaker winds and rainfall as it makes its way across the Big Island and Maui.
The National Weather Service canceled all storm and flood warnings for Tropical Storm Flossie in Hawaii on Monday evening, keeping only a flash-flood watch in effect until Tuesday night.
Weather officials say Flossie may still cause power failures and road closures, with wind gusts up to 40 mph through mountain passes.
The downgrade came before Flossie hit Oahu, the most populous island in the chain.
Earlier, local television stations extended morning news, pre-empting syndicated daytime shows to cover the storm’s approach.
But Flossie faded through the morning thanks to winds that broke layers of the storm apart, said Tom Evans, acting director of the Central Pacific Hurricane Center.
Some tourists still headed to popular beaches despite urgings from state officials to cancel all beach trips until further notice.
In Waikiki, beaches were unusually empty as those outside contended with overcast skies and rain ahead of Flossie’s arrival.
Kelly Tarkington, a college student from Savannah, Ga., who suffered a sunburn after eight hours on the beach Sunday, was taking refuge from the rain under a beach umbrella Monday along with her aunt.
“We just came to enjoy the beach - attempt to at least - and now it’s pouring rain so we’re under our umbrella. It’s awful,” said Tarkington, 21.
Michael Cantin, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Honolulu, had predicted the storm would likely be downgraded to a tropical depression before it hit Maui if it deteriorated at the same rate as it did much of Monday.
“The weakening happened quite rapidly,” Cantin said.
Even in its weakened state Monday afternoon, though, Cantin warned of Flossie’s potential to knock down power lines because of the unusual direction of the storm’s winds.
Residents and government officials spent the weekend preparing. College campuses and courts were closed Monday on the Big Island, and the Red Cross was gathering volunteers to staff 24 shelters statewide.
The U.S. Coast Guard closed three ports - two on the Big Island where the storm was expected first, and a third port on Maui. Airports statewide were open Monday but many flights were being canceled.
Trails and campgrounds also were closed on the Big Island, where state officials warned people to avoid forest areas until Flossie clears.
Officials warned people to finish necessary storm preparations early and leave their homes if asked.
“I woke up to blue skies. It was just a beautiful day out,” Ian Shortridge, 22, of Kealakekua, on the west side of the Big Island, said early Monday. “It hasn’t rained all morning. We are waiting for the rain.”
Shortridge said he saw Mc-Donald’s employees boarding up windows Sunday. Store shelves were running low of essentials like bottled water and toilet paper, he said.
Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed an emergency proclamation that allows the state to use its disaster fund to pay for staff overtime, supplies and other resources.
The proclamation also gave state officials the option to call Hawaii National Guard members to duty.
Forecasters had said the storm might bring rain of up to 6 inches on parts of the Big Island and up to 2 inches on other islands.
Melanie and Ian Jenkins of Portsmouth, England, tried to catch some sun on Waikiki Beach even as raindrops riddled the sand.
“The showers are getting colder and colder each time, and I might give up in the next half hour,” Melanie Jenkins said.
But, her husband said: “It’s still warmer than England.”
Front Section, Pages 4 on 07/30/2013