Oklahomans Brace For Hurricane Lane In Hawaii

An Oklahoma City couple is bracing for Hurricane Lane as they spend their vacation in Hawaii.

Karen Jackson and Bobby Nix say flights off the islands have been overbooked since the storm started heading their way, and now they are preparing for it to make landfall.

“I’ve done tornadoes in Oklahoma, but I don’t know about this,” says Karen. “I’m getting nervous.”

What started as the perfect Maui vacation filled with a cool breeze and rainbows on the horizon is turning darker every day.

Karen says, “They posted a note on our door yesterday morning and said we’re in a hurricane warning now and to get prepared, gave us a whole checklist.”

Hurricane Lane is expected to be the state’s largest storm in decades. Karen, Bobby and their friends fear losing electricity and access to fresh water, so they have been advised to stock up on the essentials.

SEE: As Massive Hurricane Lane Nears, Hawaiians Have Nowhere To Go

“Water, flashlights, batteries,” Karen lists. “They said 7,700 cases of water, just on Maui…” “…at Cosco just in one day,” Bobby adds.

Their resort is preparing, too. The couple took a photo showing the poolside chairs and tables have been placed in the pool itself to keep them from flying away.

“It’s a good idea,” Bobby says. “It’s a missile if it’s flying and obviously we’re on the west side of the island, when the hurricane is coming up that side.”

The preparations are an uncommon sight, and so is a storm of this magnitude. Locals are used to dodging the worst of the weather. Bobby says, “Most of the time it comes up through Hawaii, because of the size of the mountains, it basically tears the hurricanes down, and this time they weren’t concerned again.”

Even the animals are starting to take cover. Karen and Bobby say sea turtles and even more malicious sea creatures like sharks are appearing near the shoreline due to the changing water temperatures.

They hope the storm turns west and passes them by, but they say they are prepared, just in case. “Hunker down and ride it out, I guess,” says Karen.

Hurricane Lane could make landfall late Thursday. Karen and Bobby hope they can come home as planned next week.