Hurricane Nolo strengthened to a Category 3 storm Saturday, packing maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 kph). Its path now threatens a large, remote stretch of federally protected Pacific waters, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center reported.
The storm was about 210 miles (335 kilometers) south-southwest of Maro Reef. It moved westward at 17 mph (28 kph), well west of Hawaii's main islands.
A Protected Monument in the Path
Forecasters issued a tropical storm warning for the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, from Maro Reef to Lisianski Island. The monument includes federally protected islands, atolls, seamounts, shoals and coral reefs. Public agencies set aside places like this for protection.
The hurricane center didn't mince words about what's coming. Large surf associated with Nolo "will likely inundate some of the low-lying atolls," the center said.
There’s some relief in the forecast. The hurricane center didn’t expect any populated islands to face a threat. Nolo was expected to cross the international date line Sunday.
A Storm With a History
This isn't Nolo's first brush with the islands. The storm skirted Hawaii as a hurricane a week earlier, then weakened into a tropical storm. It regained hurricane strength Friday, and by the next day had climbed to Category 3.
That storm refused to fade. Residents of Hawaii watched it pass just a week ago, and it has since grown stronger over open water.
Another Hurricane, Another Coast
Nolo isn't the only hurricane active in the Pacific. Rachel, a Category 1 hurricane, continued westward on a path away from Mexico's west coast.
Rachel’s effects reach beyond its track. The hurricane center forecast dangerous swells through the weekend along west-central Mexico. It expects them to last through Monday for the Baja California Peninsula. Swells like that can reach coastal communities even when a storm's center stays out to sea.
Why This Matters: Nolo's path shows how protected public lands sit directly in the way of powerful storms, even when no one lives there. Federal designation brings long-term responsibility for places like Papahanaumokuakea, and surf that inundates low-lying atolls is a reminder of what's at stake in those places. No populated islands are expected to face a threat. That’s good news, but it rests on the work of agencies like the National Hurricane Center. Their warnings give coastal communities time to prepare. Along west-central Mexico and the Baja California Peninsula, where Rachel is expected to bring dangerous swells, public forecasts matter. This week's two Pacific hurricanes underline the value of sustained investment in weather monitoring and the protection of fragile places.