Latest on nor'easter track up East Coast, Hurricane Nolo's path toward Hawaii

Hawaii faces the threat of Hurricane Nolo, which is bringing the potential for catastrophic flooding and strong winds to the island state. In a recent advisory, the US National Hurricane Center reported that Nolo's top winds had reached 120 kilometers per hour as it hovered about 725 kilometers south-southeast of Honolulu. As Nolo progresses towards Hawaii's Big Island on Saturday, forecasters predict that its winds could intensify to 190 kph, equivalent to Category 3 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

The Big Island has already been under a hurricane watch, with additional flood and tropical storm watches issued for Maui, Lanai, Molokai, and Kahoolawe.

Governor Josh Green has announced that shelters are open on the Big Island for residents who wish to evacuate their homes. Despite this, the governor emphasized that the state has already experienced significant damage from multiple natural disasters since March. According to Green, the damage caused by these events has amounted to "hundreds of millions of dollars" and affected numerous properties.

Although the exact cost of damage to private buildings has not been determined, more than 1,200 homes have been damaged, with at least 74 completely destroyed.

The state's reputation as a popular tourist destination has unfortunately also been marred by recent flooding events. In addition to Hurricane Nolo, Hawaii has recently endured flooding from Kona lows in March, an earthquake in May, and two major hurricanes in the past two months. Even though Nolo is expected to turn west before making contact with the islands, Hawaii's Big Island is anticipated to receive as much as 51 centimeters of rain, with isolated totals reaching up to 89 centimeters.

This heavy rainfall could lead to catastrophic, life-threatening flooding and mudslides, particularly in areas with steep terrain. According to Eric Blake, a senior hurricane specialist at the US center, the situation is dire and calls for immediate action.