Updated

Hurricane Nolo strengthened into a hurricane on Thursday and churned south of Hawaii's Big Island with maximum sustained winds around 105 mph, bringing forecasts of life-threatening, catastrophic flash flooding, high surf and powerful winds to islands still recovering from earlier storms this summer. Hawaii activated more than 230 National Guard members and closed schools ahead of the storm's arrival over the weekend, as it is the third major tropical system to menace the islands in recent months after Hurricanes Lala and Lowell. Meteorologists and climate scientists linked the unusually active and intense Pacific season, including Nolo, Polo and Odalys, to a supercharged El Niño driving record ocean temperatures. GDACS classified Nolo as a Green alert with no reported category 1+ population exposure figures.