(BIVN) – A Hawaiʻi power utility, along with local weather forecasters, are urging the public to be prepared as the 2024 Pacific Hurricane Season heats up.

As of Tuesday afternoon, a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms associated with two disturbances over the western portion of the East Pacific basin continues to develop. The systems are expected to merge tonight, and “a
tropical depression or tropical storm will likely form during the next day or so while it moves generally westward at 10 to 15 mph,” the National Hurricane Center said.

“The system is then expected to strengthen as it moves across the central Pacific basin late this week and move near the Hawaiian Islands late this weekend or early next week,” the Miami-based forecasters wrote.

“Global models are having a hard time resolving the potential development, track, and intensity of any of these systems, giving us very little forecast confidence in regards to any potential impacts to the Hawaiian Islands,” the National Weather Service in Honolulu wrote on Tuesday afternoon. “Regardless of any potential tropical cyclone development over the next several days, now is a good time to make sure that you and your family are prepared for hurricane season.”

In its discussion, the National Weather Service promoted a link with info on What to Do Before the Tropical Storm or Hurricane. 

Hawaiian Electric is also advising customers to review their emergency preparedness plans and be ready for possible outages. The utility is offering preparation and safety tips on its website.

image courtesy NOAA / NWS

In a news release, Hawaiian Electric urged customers to take the following safety precautions, as appropriate:

• Check emergency equipment, such as flashlights, emergency generators, battery-operated (hand-crank or solar) radios, light sticks, and lanterns to be sure they are operational, and buy extra batteries.
• If someone in your home is dependent on electrically powered, life-sustaining medical equipment, check backup facilities. Plan where to go should the need for evacuation occurs. If you need to go to the hospital or other emergency shelter, remember to take your medical equipment and medications with you to the facility.
• If you plan to use a ladder while preparing your home for the storm, note the location of power lines before you begin. Be sure that ladders or scaffolds are far enough away so that you – and the ends of the tools you’re using – stay at least 10 feet away from power lines. Before lowering a TV antennae or satellite dish, make sure to turn off and unplug the TV.
• If you plan to use a portable generator after the storm, make sure it is placed in a well-ventilated area outside the home, and be sure to carefully follow all instructions in the manufacturer’s manual.
• Most counties will suspend trash and debris pickup before a storm. Please do not trim trees now, as high winds can turn cut branches into dangerous, flying debris. However, if you have already trimmed trees, please help to prevent outages by tying down or securing any of those loose branches or other debris.

Farther away in the Eastern Pacific, Tropical Storm Gilma is expected to become a hurricane overnight or tomorrow morning, forecasters say. However, “by the end
of the week and into the weekend, Gilma should encounter cooling sea surface temperatures, increasing shear, and dry mid-level humidities causing it to gradually weaken,” the National Hurricane Center said.