Strengthening storm could bring 40-foot waves, damage to Hawaii

A strong storm in the central Pacific will intensify Saturday well north of the Hawaiian islands.

The storm is initially forecast to drift northwestward, before shifting late Saturday into Sunday.

The forecast is showing the Pacific storm coming near the Hawaii Island chain Saturday night, and especially early Sunday.

Ultimately, the impact of this storm will depend on how close the low pressure gets to the islands.

However, waves up to 40 feet are expected to approach the Hawaii Islands on Sunday. These waves could cause “unprecedented coastal flooding to north and west facing shores late Saturday and Sunday,” according to the National Weather Service in Honolulu.

There could be an extreme impact to the coastline, with potentially significant damage to coastal property and infrastructure, according to the National Weather Service.

Additionally, the storm will likely cause wind gusts to reach 50 mph how times on the Islands which could cause downed trees and power lines.