The Weather Channel
The latest forecast path and wind speeds for Tropical Storm Flossie from the National Hurricane Center.
By Henry Austin, NBC News contributor
Flash floods, mud slides and dangerously large surf could "threaten life and property," officials warned as Tropical Storm Flossie continued its westward march toward Hawaii.
Beaches, harbors and three ports on the Big Island and Maui were shut and emergency shelters were activated as the island state?braced itself for winds of up to 50 mph with higher gusts and torrential rainfall,?according to NBC station?KHNL.
After issuing a tropical storm warning for the state capital Honolulu as well as Hawaii County, Maui County, and the island of Oahu, officials urged people to take the ?appropriate precautions.?
?Be alert to Flash Flood WARNINGS because flooding may occur rapidly and threaten life and property,? Hawaii?s Civil Defense Division said in a statement?Sunday.
?Evaluate your family?s emergency plans and check your emergency Kits,? it added.
The emergency department on Oahu also said residents should have a seven-day supply of food and water on hand as well as flashlights and spare batteries.
The storm is expected to weaken by the time it hits land, but National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Cantin said that gusts of up to 60 miles per hour would likely knock down power poles and blow away loose objects. ?
He added that people should be careful of trying to walk or drive across water if flooding does occur.
?It takes about six inches of water to knock you off your feet and 12 to move a vehicle,? he said in a statement?late Sunday.?
The Big Island and Maui were expected to bear the main brunt of the storm, which is forecast to drop a minimum of six to 10 inches of rain, with higher amounts on the eastern side and less on the western side of islands.
Waves of 12 to 18 feet are expected for the Big Island and Maui, with surf of 10 to 15 feet on other islands.
"If you're preparing your home, you should be rushing those preparations to completion," Cantin added.?
Flossie, the sixth named storm of the eastern Pacific hurricane season, formed just over 1000 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California Wednesday, according to weather.com.?
The center was expected to pass near the Big Island and Maui on Monday morning and then south of Oahu several hours later on Monday evening into Tuesday morning.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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