Visiting Hawaii during hurricane season? Tips to know

HONOLULU (KHON2) — If you are traveling to Hawaii during hurricane season, June 1 through Nov. 30, you’ll want to know these tips in case you are caught in a tropical storm while on vacation. 

According to Hawaii’s Emergency Management Agency, hurricane-force winds, 74 miles per hour or more, can destroy buildings and mobile homes. 

Currently, Hawaii meteorologists and weather forecasters are keeping a close eye on Hurricane Darby which was recently downgraded to a Category 3 hurricane early Tuesday morning. 

Hurricane Darby is centered about 1,600 miles east of Hilo at 8 a.m. Tuesday morning. It’s expected to be weakening when it moves into the Central Pacific Hurricane area of responsibility on Thursday. 

If Hurricane Darby does not weaken or you are in Hawaii during another potential hurricane threat, you’ll want to have a plan.

Hawaii Aloha Travel came out with their list of to-dos in the event of a hurricane in Hawaii.

They suggest being aware and checking in with local forecasters to know if a hurricane is possible during your stay in Hawaii. 

5 tips when traveling to Hawaii during hurricane season:

1. Check in with your hotel
2. Communicate with your airline
3. Stay out of the ocean
4. Tell friends or family where you are
5. Be prepared for anything

While vacationing in Hawaii during a storm, you will have to rely on your hotel for up-to-date information. A good question to ask is if the hotel or rental you are staying at has an evacuation plan.

When the weather is bad, airlines will delay, postpone and even cancel flights. If that happened to you, you’ll want to reach out to them and coordinate when you can reschedule that flight.

Even after a storm passes through Hawaii, it’s still a good rule to stay out of the ocean. During heavy downpours, freshwater streams and rivers will become polluted then will run into the ocean making the water look murky.

It’s always good to let people know where you are at especially in the event of a weather emergency. That way in the event of a large storm, someone will know your whereabouts. 

Being prepared is the best thing you can do while visiting Hawaii during hurricane season. Chances are you won’t be in Hawaii in the event of a hurricane, but it could happen. 

Making sure you have plenty of snacks and water can help in the event you’ll need to go to an evacuation center. 

For more helpful information on how to be prepared while vacationing in Hawaii during a storm, head to Hawaii Aloha Travel’s website.