With Hurricane Polo still a Pacific menace, Nolo arises as new Hawaii threat

Nolo has had quite a week. After weakening to a tropical storm, it remains active and is forecast to cross the International Date Line this weekend. When it does, it won't get a brand-new name — it will simply become Typhoon Nolo. Typhoons are what hurricanes are called in the Western Pacific basin. Whether a storm is called a hurricane or a typhoon depends entirely on geography, not its physical structure. (MORE: Hurricane season maps tracker)Sitting at 180 degrees longitude, the International Date Line marks the boundary between the Central Pacific basin and the Western Pacific basin. Crossing that line from east to west — or vice versa — automatically changes a storm's official title on the map while leaving its assigned name completely intact. Get More of Our News on GoogleSet The Weather Company as a 'Preferred Source' to get quicker access to the news you value.(MORE: Our complete coverage of El Niño)What actually happens:Classification changes: Nolo shifts from "hurricane" to "typhoon" purely because of its geographical position relative to the International Date Line. If sustained winds top 150 mph, it would even be designated a Super Typhoon.

Hurricane Nolo is the storm that just won’t quit. The powerful storm found new life this weekend, and it’s on its way to a relatively rare transition from a hurricane to a typhoon by Sunday. DON’T MISS: What’s the difference between hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones? The hurricane that just keeps goingHurricane Nolo is in its third week of life this weekend as it spins across the Pacific Ocean. This level of longevity is rare for any storm, let alone one with such an unusual trajectory. The storm grew into a Category 4 as it brought heavy rain and blustery conditions to parts of Hawaii last weekend. Parts of the Big Island saw more than 350 mm of rain from the storm, which caused additional flooding across areas still recovering from Hurricane Lala earlier this summer. After weakening to a tropical storm this past week, Nolo caught a second wind and quickly intensified back to a major hurricane on Saturday. The storm is expected to strengthen further over the next few days as it heads west. Nolo set to become a typhoonOn its current path, Hurricane Nolo will soon cross the International Date Line and become Typhoon Nolo from that point on.

"Polo, Nolo, Lala? What's the deal with all the Pacific hurricane names that are just two repeating syllables? " — KevinA lot of this comes down to coincidence and time of the year, but there are some linguistics embedded in the Central Pacific names that tipped the chances of repeated syllables. Let’s start with Marco Polo, err… Polo 'n Nolo. These are the names that have gotten the most chatter in the newsroom and online in the last few weeks. Coincidental timing of names has been a theme this year, starting with Tropical Storm Dolly being named within days of Dolly Parton’s death. That name first appeared on naming lists when Dolly Parton was just 7 years old. It happens to be on a list that rotates every six years, and nobody knew or planned for that name to be on the list in the same year the beloved singer and philanthropist would pass. Likewise, Polo is on another rotating list that appears every six years and goes from A to Z through the year. This was just the 16th storm of this season in the East Pacific. Polo isn’t a popular name in English-speaking countries, but it is a nickname in Spanish and Italian for common names like Paolo and Pablo.

THE TAKEAWAYNolo weakened to a tropical storm on Wednesday. Rain is expected across Kaua'i through Thursday, with no flooding expected. The system will turn away from Hawaii later in the week. Tropical Storm Nolo is preparing to complete a remarkable journey around Hawaii, set to dump a final round of rain on Kaua'i as it passes about 250 miles west of the state's westernmost island, after sweeping south of the Big Island over the weekend. From there, Nolo is forecast to reintensify later this week and remain a long-lived hurricane for more than two weeks as it crosses into the open Western Pacific.   HURRICANE POLO CHURNS IN THE PACIFIC, FUELING FLOOD THREAT FOR MILLIONS AS TROPICAL STORM RACHEL FORMS next Flooding on Hawaii's Big Island as Hurricane Nolo passed 140 miles to the south on Sep. 26, 2026.

Hurricane Nolo became the fourth named system to bring heavy rain, gusty winds and large waves to Hawaii this hurricane season. Its lifecycle was more interesting than the others. GenesisHurricane Nolo actually has a more unique story than most tropical systems. It was actually first monitored way back on September 8 as a low area of development. The map below shows the yellow blob that would eventually become Nolo, but we have to a wait a while to see the name. This is the East Pacific just before 8 a.m. on September 8. The yellow area would eventually become Nolo, but a lot of time would have to pass before then. By 2 p.m. PDT on September 13, Tropical Depression Fifteen-E formed in the East Pacific. But the system didn't last long. Just two days later, the tropical depression lost its organization due to moving into higher shear. Shear, or changes in wind speed and direction as you move higher in the atmosphere, hinders tropical development, so this system fell apart and was no longer receiving advisories from the National Hurricane Center on September 15 at 8 p.m. Tropical Depression Fifteen-E first formed on September 13 but then dissipated just two days later.

Updated at 10:45 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. Strengthening nor'easterThe low-pressure system that formed off the Southeast coast is being lifted north and energized by a dip in the jet stream. It will become marooned off the coast of New Jersey meandering and looping through the weekend. The computer forecast models show the storm peaking in intensity on Saturday. Unlike a well-developed tropical storm or hurricane, the winds are not concentrated around the center with this type of cyclone. Coastal damage can and is expected to occur over a long stretch of the coastline from the Carolinas to New England. STRENGTHENING NOR’EASTER BRINGS DANGEROUS COASTAL FLOODING, DAMAGING WINDS AS IT CHARGES ALONG EAST COASTFlooding is also likely in bays, harbors, and inlets where the water can pile up. Long Island wave height forecast(FOX Weather) Because the storm is forecast to stall or make a small loop, the winds will be pushing ocean water in about the same direction for multiple high tide cycles. In some cases, this will mean the tide will not be able to go out, and the next high tide will add to the water level.