Hurricane Douglas bears down on Hawaii

HONOLULU — Hawaii prepared for the onslaught of Hurricane Douglas on Sunday, with predictions of high winds, rain and storm surge.

“It’s definitely going to be a triple threat,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Vanessa Almanza said.

Rainfall from the storm can be anywhere from 5-15 inches. It’s “probably not a good day to go to the beach,” Almanza said.

Douglas weakened Saturday to a Category 1 hurricane as it approached Hawaii, but officials warned people should not be lulled into complacency. The weather service said Douglas should remain a hurricane as it moves through the islands Sunday.

“Douglas is continuing a gradual, slow, weakening trend, which in itself is good news, but the bad news is that this hurricane is going to come very close to the islands even as it’s weakening,” said Robert Ballard, the science and operations officer at the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. “And we do expect significant impacts as it makes its point of closest approach or possible landfall as it comes through.”

Authorities on Oahu and Maui sounded emergency sirens as rain fell and blustery winds swayed trees. They urged residents to shelter in place or, as last resort, to take refuge at shelters.

Oahu, Kauai and Maui were all under a hurricane warning, though a hurricane watch was canceled for the Big Island.

The hurricane was packing maximum sustained winds of 85 mph Sunday.

(AP/Eugene Tanner) High surf breaks on Oahu’s Windward coast Sunday as seen from Honolulu’s Makapuu Lookout.