Hurricane Lane Drenching Hawaii With Flooding Rains

Hurricane Lane has been downgraded to a Category 3 storm with sustained winds of around 120 miles per hour, as it slowly marches toward Hawaii. While the storm has weakened over the past week, it is still expected to bring flooding rains to the island chain. The storm has already dumped nearly 30 inches of rain in some areas, and forecasts say the state could see over 40 inches before the storm is finished. The National Weather Service is warning that the heavy rains could result in flash floods, landslides, and mudslides, even in areas not prone to flooding. 

Lane is moving at just 5 miles per hour toward Hawaii and is not expected to turn away until Saturday morning. 

"The slow movement of Lane also greatly increases the threat for prolonged heavy rainfall and extreme rainfall totals," the Central Pacific Hurricane Center said. "This is expected to lead to major, life-threatening flash flooding and landslides over all Hawaiian Islands."

The storm will continue to weaken as it nears land due to increasing wind shear. The storm peaked as a Category 5 hurricane earlier in the week, becoming the strongest storm to come within 350 miles of Hawaii since Hurricane John in 1994. The last hurricane to make landfall in the state was Iniki in 1992. 

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