County of Kauai officials on Friday splashed social media with fresh images from the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, showing the National Hurricane Center’s tracking of Tropical Storm Amanda as it churned through the eastern Pacific. The advisory kept Amanda well to the southeast of the main Hawaiian Islands, but officials cautioned that the storm’s swell and rain bands could still create localized impacts along exposed shores. The message was simple and pointed: use this as a reminder to check emergency supplies and tie down anything outside that could turn into a projectile.
The County of Kaua'i posted the images on its Facebook page, resharing material from HI-EMA that summarized the National Hurricane Center advisory, according to County of Kaua'i on Facebook. In a recent bulletin, the National Hurricane Center placed Amanda near 13.3°N, 133.7°W with maximum sustained winds around 45 mph, as reported by Weather.com. HI-EMA’s notice also urged residents to review hurricane-season guidance at Ready Hawaii.
Forecast and track
Forecast products show Amanda sliding west, then bending more toward the southwest and slowing down through the weekend, a track that keeps the storm’s center comfortably offshore for now. GDACS tracking lines up with official NOAA and NHC bulletins, mapping Amanda’s recent positions and projected path across the eastern Pacific.
Forecasters still do not expect Amanda to make landfall in Hawaii, but anyone who lives near the water knows that distant tropical systems can be trouble from afar. Elevated surf, hazardous rip currents and pockets of heavy showers often show up on exposed coasts even when the storm center never gets close. Weather.com notes that storms well offshore can still trigger ocean safety alerts for the islands.
How officials are advising people to prepare
State and county emergency managers stressed that the Facebook post was less about panic and more about practice. They urged residents to use Amanda as a drill: double-check emergency kits, secure outdoor furniture and equipment, and make sure prescriptions and other essentials are topped off so households are ready if conditions take a turn. The County’s post says HI-EMA is directing residents to Ready Hawaii for checklists, shelter details and local advisories.
Amanda is the first named storm of the Eastern Pacific season, a reminder that the basin is already active this year, according to The Associated Press. Officials are asking residents to keep an eye on National Hurricane Center and HI-EMA updates and to rely on official channels for any evacuation or safety information that might follow.
