Hurricane Olivia may strike Hawaii this week

Emergency officials are urging Hawaii residents to prepare for a severe storm that may hit Hawaii this week during what is the peak of this year’s hurricane season.

Hurricane Olivia is forecast to hit the Hawaiian Islands as a tropical storm on Wednesday, bringing heavy rains just two weeks after Hurricane Lane caused major flooding.

It’s still uncertain whether Hurricane Olivia will make landfall in the Hawaiian Islands, but at minimum meteorologists believe it will come very close and deliver a new round of rainfall.

Peak hurricane season

The second week of September is the peak of hurricane season, so the flurry of activity (with Florence approaching the U.S.) is no surprise to forecasters. After the current round of storms, though, long-range models suggest a lull for several weeks.

Jeff Masters, co-founder of the Weather Underground service, said there’s a chance for another active period by mid-October, which would mark the end of the busiest stretch of the season.

“I don’t think we’re quite done yet,” he said, “but certainly as far as September goes, this is the big week.”