The "State Of Emergency Declared!!" Story

Commons area on the 3rd floor of the Kaui'i building.
Notice the plywood covering the windows across from the elevator.

It was an ordinary day.  Listening to the message on our phone from the main desk at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel where we are visitors for the next few days.. Message was to tell us not to panic when we see the lobby windows boarded up.  Carol and I, along with our traveling friends Jerry and Just Sue, just returned from a day trip to a few small towns on the island of Maui and after exiting the elevator started to worry for the first time when we saw the windows on the 3rd floor commons area covered with plywood.  

Small store front in Makawao with
sandbags ready for flooding.

The weather today has slowly deteriorated with windy conditions and a heavy overcast sky.  At times the rain would begin, but then cease with sun showing through the clouds.  We ran between raindrops on our visit to both Pi'ia and Makawao on the north side of Maui. A few of the stores did have sandbags ready to position at their entrances upon closing. On our return to the Kaanapali we decided on a lower level and central parking spot in the parking garage in hopes of keeping the rental car safe from flying objects. The Governor of Hawaii, Neil Abercrombie declared a state of emergency to "allow us to respond quickly to any potential impacts."  Ana could cause dangerous surf conditions, coastal flooding and mudslides as it moves across the region.  

Another store in the town has an unusual name to it!

Some areas are expected to get between 8-10 inches of rain with a possible 12 inches in isolated spots.  As of noon today Ana was upgraded from a tropical storm to a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 75 miles per hour.  Hurricanes are a rare occurrence in Hawaii with the last one hitting Hawaii in September of 1992.  Iniki was a Category 4 storm that killed six people and caused $2.4 billion in damages.  

Latest National Weather Service scan showing Hurricana Ana.
The Hawaiian Islands are small specks in gray at about 11:00.

As I sit here on Friday on our 3rd floor balcony at 6:00 PM Hawaii time, the wind is beginning to sound eerie and the skies are gathering very dark storm clouds.  I can feel a slight drizzle, but not a constant heavy rain ........ yet!  I am posting this story very early on what I believe will be Saturday on the east coast of the USA, just in case we lose power and Internet service.  My camera is ready with 3 fully charged batteries, the cell phones are fully charged and my Kindle also has a full charge awaiting a day of bad weather.  And ....... yes, in the distance the Hula Show has just begun.  Nothing can keep these lovely Hawaiian beauties from swinging and swaying with their grass skirts and coconut bras.  May have to take a look, since my camera is waiting and fully charged!  The storm can wait until the show is over!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.