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Photos: Hawaiʻi Island weathers Hurricane Nolo

Hawaiʻi Public Radio | By HPR News Staff
Published September 26, 2026 at 10:53 AM HST
Nāʻālehu resident Joe Steele fills up gas cans at the townʻs gas station on the afternoon of Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in preparation for Hurricane Nolo.
Tori DeJournett
/
HPR
Nāʻālehu resident Joe Steele fills up gas cans at the town's gas station on the afternoon of Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in preparation for Hurricane Nolo.

A hurricane watch was dropped for Hawaiʻi Island on Saturday as Nolo moved west of the island.

Across the island, residents were seen preparing for the impending storm, as many of them were still recovering from the destruction of Hurricane Lala in August.

A couple waits for battery cables to start their truck near where a home was destroyed during last month's Hurricane Lala, as floodwaters from Hurricane Nolo recedes Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Naalehu, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Gregory Bull
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AP
A couple waits for battery cables to start their truck near where a home was destroyed during last month's Hurricane Lala, as floodwaters from Hurricane Nolo recedes on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Nāʻālehu.
Peggy McKibbin looks at where floodwaters from nearby Hurricane Nolo run past widespread damage from last month's Hurricane Lala Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Nāʻālehu, Hawaiʻi.
Gregory Bull
/
AP
Peggy McKibbin looks at where floodwaters from nearby Hurricane Nolo run past widespread damage from last month's Hurricane Lala on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Nāʻālehu on Hawaiʻi Island.
The flooded areas of Māmalahoa Highway (Route 11) in Waiʻōhinu as Hurricane Nolo passed by on Saturday night.
Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation
Flooded areas along Māmalahoa Highway (also known as Route 11) in Waiʻōhinu as Hurricane Nolo passed by on Saturday night. The road was closed as crews cleared it of debris and was reopened on Sunday morning.
Members of the Hawaiʻi Army National Guard work with other emergency officials as rainwater from nearby Hurricane Nolo floods a section of Māmalahoa Highway Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, near Naʻālehu, Hawaiʻi Island.
Gregory Bull
/
AP
Members of the Hawaiʻi Army National Guard work with other emergency officials as rainwater from nearby Hurricane Nolo floods a section of Māmalahoa Highway Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, near Nāʻālehu, Hawaiʻi Island.
Fire Captain Lui Sales of the Hawaiʻi Fire Department looks for residents as rainwater from nearby Hurricane Nolo floods a section of Māmalahoa Highway Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, near Naʻālehu, Hawaiʻi Island.
Gregory Bull
/
AP
Fire Captain Lui Sales of the Hawaiʻi Fire Department looks for residents as rainwater from nearby Hurricane Nolo floods a section of Māmalahoa Highway Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, near Nāʻālehu, Hawaiʻi Island.
Members of the Hawaii Army National Guard help a resident leave his home as rainwater from nearby Hurricane Nolo floods a section of Māmalahoa Highway Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, near Naʻālehu, Hawaiʻi Island.
Gregory Bull
/
AP
Members of the Hawaii Army National Guard help a resident leave his home as rainwater from nearby Hurricane Nolo floods a section of Māmalahoa Highway Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, near Nāʻālehu, Hawaiʻi Island.
The view of a stormy Hilo Bay in the late afternoon on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026
Tori DeJournett
/
HPR
The view of a stormy Hilo Bay in the late afternoon on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026
The Honokaʻa Hongwanji Mission Buddhist Temple located on Lehua St. in Honokaʻa closed its meal service due to the approach of Hurricane Nolo. The sign was still up on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026.
Tori DeJournett
/
HPR
The Honokaʻa Hongwanji Mission Buddhist Temple located on Lehua St. in Honokaʻa closed its meal service due to the approach of Hurricane Nolo. The sign was still up on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026.
Rainy and windy conditions on Hawai'i Belt Road between Honokaʻa and Paʻauilo on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026.
Tori DeJournett
/
HPR
Rainy and windy conditions on Hawai'i Belt Road between Honokaʻa and Paʻauilo on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026.
Kohala Mountain Road remained closed to car traffic early Saturday afternoon.emains closed to traffic early Saturday afternoon. (Sept. 26, 2026)
Tori DeJournett
/
HPR
The Kohala Mountain Road remained closed to car traffic early Saturday afternoon. Hawaiʻi County Mayor Kimo Alameda said on social media Friday that the mountain passage between Waimea and Hāwī was closed due to hazardous conditions, including high winds. Waimea experienced gusts of up to 60 mph on Friday night.
Many small business owners in Hōlualoa on Hawaiʻi Island, including White Nene Coffee Roasters, had to decide on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, whether to close or stay open as Hurricane Nolo passed by the island.
Tori DeJournett
/
HPR
Many small business owners in Hōlualoa on Hawaiʻi Island, including White Nene Coffee Roasters, had to decide on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, whether to close or stay open as Hurricane Nolo passed by the island.
Many small business owners in Hawaiʻi Island's Hōlualoa, including the farm-to-table restaurant Holualoa Garden & Kitchen seen above, had to decide on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, whether to close or stay open as Hurricane Nolo passed by the islands.
Tori DeJournett
/
HPR
The farm-to-table restaurant Holualoa Garden & Kitchen also decided to close on Saturday.
Hawaiian Electric repaired several downed power lines in the high-elevation neighborhood of Kaloko Mauka after Hurricane Lala — some homes and businesses in the area were without power for more than a week.
Tori DeJournett
/
HPR
Hawaiian Electric repaired several downed power lines in the high-elevation neighborhood of Kaloko Mauka after Hurricane Lala — some homes and businesses in the area were without power for more than a week.
Kenzielynn Kekoa, center, of Hilo, Hawaii, helps her family fill sand bags as Hurricane Nolo approaches in Hilo, Hawaii, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia)
Eugene Garcia
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AP
Kenzielynn Kekoa, center, helps her family fill sand bags as Hurricane Nolo approaches in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026.
HOPE Services Hawaiʻi staff were out on the Big Island Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, helping people experiencing homelessness prepare for Hurricane Nolo.
HOPE Services Hawaiʻi
HOPE Services Hawaiʻi staff were out on the Big Island Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, helping people experiencing homelessness prepare for Hurricane Nolo.
A sandpile is seen Arthur L. Greenwell Park in Kealakekua on Hawaiʻi Island. The Hawaiʻi County Department of Public Works is providing sandpiles so residents can make their own sandbags.
Tori DeJournett
/
HPR
A sandpile is seen Arthur L. Greenwell Park in Kealakekua on Hawaiʻi Island. The Hawaiʻi County Department of Public Works provided sandpiles so residents could make their own sandbags.
Louie Taasan places sand bags along his driveway as Hurricane Nolo sits nearby Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Hilo, Hawaii.
Gregory Bull
/
AP
Louie Taasan places sandbags along his driveway as Hurricane Nolo sits nearby Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Hilo, Hawaiʻi.
Recovery efforts are still underway near the Punaluʻu Bake Shop where Hurricane Lala swept through and caused extensive damage in August.
Tori Dejournett
/
HPR
Recovery efforts are still underway near the Punaluʻu Bake Shop where Hurricane Lala swept through and caused extensive damage in August.
Debris behind the 76 gas station in Nāʻālehu left behind by Hurricane Lala.
Tori Dejournett
/
HPR
Debris behind the 76 gas station in Nāʻālehu left behind by Hurricane Lala.
Britta Jacobson was taking shelter under a pavilion at Mānuka Natural Area Reserve near Ocean View midday on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026.
Tori DeJournett
/
HPR
Britta Jacobson was taking shelter under a pavilion at Mānuka Natural Area Reserve near Ocean View midday on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. She had loaded up her truck with supplies and left her home in Nāʻālehu earlier that morning. During Hurricane Lala, the road out of Jacobson’s subdivision, Green Sands, was completely washed out. Jacobson worried that if Nolo hit with the same force as Lala, she could get trapped.
Chase Gabin fishes among the rocks as Hurricane Nolo sits nearby Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Hilo, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Gregory Bull
/
AP
Chase Gabin fishes among the rocks as Hurricane Nolo sits nearby Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Hilo, Hawaiʻi.
Hawaiʻi County crews worked ahead of Hurricane Nolo to mitigate flood risks.
Hawaiʻi County
As part of preparations, Hawaiʻi County has been removing debris from the Waiʻōhinu flood channel and the retention basin for the Nāʻālehu flood channel. The Nāʻālehu flood channel was previously cleared.
A Recovery Center was set up at the Sgt. Rodney J.T. Yano Memorial Hall in Captain Cook, Hawaiʻi Island on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026.
Tori DeJournett
/
HPR
A Recovery Center was set up at the Sgt. Rodney J.T. Yano Memorial Hall in Captain Cook, Hawaiʻi Island on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026.
The American Red Cross set up at the Sgt. Rodney J.T. Yano Memorial Hall in Captain Cook, Hawaiʻi Island on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026.
Tori DeJournett
/
HPR
The American Red Cross set up at the Sgt. Rodney J.T. Yano Memorial Hall in Captain Cook, Hawaiʻi Island on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026.
A man walks past a closed ticket counter for Southwest Airlines lined with sandbags at Hilo International Airport as Hurricane Nolo sits nearby Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Hilo, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Gregory Bull
/
AP
A man walks past a closed ticket counter for Southwest Airlines lined with sandbags at Hilo International Airport as Hurricane Nolo sits nearby.
Two of six Hawaii National Guard Task Force Hawaii High Water Vehicles staged at Keaukaha Military Reservation in Hilo. There are about 120 Guardsmen in TF Hawaiʻi ready to support Hawaiʻi County.
Sgt. Randall Corpuz
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Hawaiʻi Department of Defense
Two of six Hawaiʻi National Guard Task Force Hawaii High Water Vehicles staged at Keaukaha Military Reservation in Hilo. There are about 120 Guardsmen ready to support Hawaiʻi County.
A downed power line seen on Mamalahoa Highway on Friday, Sep
Tori Dejournett
/
HPR
A downed power line seen on Hawaiʻi Belt Road, also known as Māmalahoa Highway, on Friday, Sept. 25, as Hurricane Nolo neared Hawaiʻi Island.
A person hands out food
HOPE Services Hawaiʻi
HOPE Services Hawaiʻi staff were out on the Big Island connecting people with shelter and distributing tarps to those who remained outdoors ahead of the storm.
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