Hurricane to pass 'dangerously close' to Hawaii's Big Island
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Residents of Hawaii's Big Island are bracing for what could be the first hurricane to make landfall in the state in decades.
Hurricane Madeline, now a major Category 3 storm, is expected to weaken but likely to remain a hurricane as it passes the state, said meteorologist Chevy Chevalier of the National Weather Service on Tuesday.
Forecasters are expecting Madeline to pass just south of the Big Island around 2 a.m. Thursday. But if the storm track shifts slightly to the north, it could hit land.
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Chevalier says the last hurricane to make landfall in Hawaii was Hurricane Iniki in 1992, which hit Kauai Island.
A second Pacific hurricane, called Lester, is still far from Hawaii, and it is expected to weaken to a tropical storm as it passes the state, Chevalier said.
Hawaii County, which covers the Big Island, urged residents to restock their emergency kits with a flashlight, fresh batteries, cash and first aid supplies.
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The county recommended that residents create evacuation plans and secure outdoor furniture.
Hawaiian Airlines said customers holding tickets to or from Hawaii's Big Island from Aug. 31 until Sept. 1 would be allowed a one-time reservation change without incurring a fee.