A category 5 hurricane is now on a direct course for the Hawaiin islands. Hurricane Lane now has maximum sustained winds of 160 mph and could become the first hurricane to directly impact the Hawaiin islands in nearly three decades.

The National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning for Hawaii County, which means this portion of the island can expect to deteriorate into volatile hurricane conditions within the next 36 hours.

Other counties, including Maui and Oahu, are under a hurricane watch.

Lane is located just 350 miles south of Kailua-Kona, which is located on the west facing portion of the largest island. Sometime between Thursday and Saturday, Lane will either pass extremely close to the island chain or hit it directly. As it stands, a monster-sized Lane is spewing hurricane measurable winds 40 miles away from the eye center.

Even if Lane doesn’t directly hit the island, massive surf, flash flooding, and excessive winds should be expected.

Island officials have told residents to “prepare for the worst,” according to CBS Honolulu affiliate KGMB-TV.

Beaches are being closed in preparation for what is now a massive sized hurricane that has to the potential to create billions in damage and loss of life.

This morning, Costcos in Oahu were reportedly sold out of most any essential survival products.

All Costco’s on Oahu are sold out of water. This is the water section at Costco Iwilei 24 hours ago compared to now. #HurricaneLane #HIwx #Lane #Hawaii @CivilBeat pic.twitter.com/eruCRF8RnN

— Anthony Quintano (@AnthonyQuintano) August 22, 2018

This is why it is always important to have your preppers list built prior to the panic.

Hawaii’s two prior hurricanes, Dot and Iniki, also approached from a similarly southerly track as Lane, which is causing many to fear the worst. Hurricane Dot, which made landfall in Kauaʻi, Hawaii in August 1959, was a small sized hurricane by today’s standards. Yet, Dot still did $6 million in economic damage to Hawaii.

By comparison, Hurricane Iniki, which made landfall as a category 4 in Kauaʻi in 1992 during a volatile El Nino, caused $3.1 billion in damage and killed 6 persons.

Hurricane Lane is already the largest hurricane on record to get this close to the island. If Lane keeps on its currently projected path, it too will make landfall at Kauaʻi as a far more damaging storm.

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