Hurricane Nolo skirts Hawaii but powerful winds and flooding remain threats

Hurricane Nolo skirted the Hawaiian Islands as it gained intensity on Saturday, but officials said it still posed a risk for flash floods, dangerous winds and extreme surf in areas recovering from previous storms. Nolo was churning very slowly south of the Big Island with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph. Its center was about 165 miles south-southwest of Hawaii’s southernmost point and it was forecast to strengthen into a major hurricane late Sunday and early Monday while traveling westward to the south of the islands. A hurricane watch was canceled and direct landfall by the storm’s center was not expected. But forecasters said its outer bands could cause life-threatening flooding and mudslides, with parts of the Big Island expected to see rainfall totals up to 20 inches. Heavy rain also was expected on the other islands.