Hurricane Nolo expected to bring heavy rain as it skirts Hawaii’s Big Island

The storm was a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph when its outer rainbands began hitting the Big Island Friday evening, according to the National Hurricane Center. By Saturday, hurricane conditions were possible on the island, especially in areas with steep terrain, forecasters warned. Around 5 p.m. Local time, Nolo sat about 145 miles south of South Point, the southernmost tip of the island.

Steep terrain tends to funnel heavy rainfall into fast-moving flash floods, and forecasters flagged that risk specifically for the island's hillier zones. People living near South Point and other low-lying areas were urged to watch the storm's path closely. Surf conditions are also expected to turn dangerous as the hurricane passes offshore, even without a direct landfall.

Nolo hasn't made landfall, but its outer bands are already reaching the island, and forecasters expect the storm to keep gaining strength through the weekend. The distance between the Big Island and a storm packing 105 mph winds is closing fast. What looks like 145 miles offshore on Friday could turn into a very different forecast by Saturday morning.