As Hurricane Nolo spins south of Hawaiʻi in the Central Pacific, and a nor’easter brews in the Atlantic, Team Rubicon has begun standing up disaster relief operations.
Hurricane Nolo Response Begins
On September 25, Team Rubicon began deploying its disaster relief volunteers, known as Greyshirts, to Hawaiʻi Island. As Hurricane Nolo approaches—with impact beginning this weekend—they will conduct pre-landfall chainsaw operations to support debris removal, clear access routes, and assess conditions on the ground.
Forecasts call for damaging winds, heavy rainfall, flooding, landslides, and power outages across portions of the Hawaiian Islands, with Hawaiʻi Island expected to experience some of the most significant and catastrophic impacts.
Once the storm has passed, the initial Greyshirt team will assist with restoring access where possible, and will focus on chainsaw operations and site assessments, helping identify community needs and inform follow-on response efforts. A second wave of Greyshirts is already being scheduled to deploy on September 28 to provide muck-outs, roof tarping, chainsaw operations, debris removal, and damage assessments. Operations are planned through October 12, although the duration will ultimately depend on conditions and unmet needs identified after the storm passes.
The deployment comes as Team Rubicon continues recovery work and multiple recent hurricane response operations across Hawaiʻi. Resources from those efforts have been positioned to support a rapid response if additional impacts occur.
Monitoring Conditions and Preparing to Respond to Nor’easter
While Greyshirts are deploying to Hawaiʻi, Team Rubicon is also monitoring a strengthening nor’easter expected to impact portions of the East Coast through the weekend. On Friday, impacts were already being felt in the North Carolina Outer Banks, including severe beach erosion and road damage.
Forecasters at the National Weather Service are warning of coastal flooding, strong winds, heavy rain, and potential power outages from the Mid-Atlantic through parts of New England. The storm could create hazardous travel conditions and cause widespread disruptions across coastal communities.
To prepare for possible responses, Team Rubicon activated its Emergency Operations Center and is monitoring conditions across potentially affected states. Teams are in communication with partners and emergency managers while assessing potential impacts and community needs.
Super El Niño Shows Itself
While the Atlantic Hurricane season has gotten off to a late, and hopefully tampered start, the year’s other weather system is beginning to deliver bi-coastal impacts: A relentless Super El Niño has begun delivering back-to-back storms, with little time to reset in between.
For communities in Hawaiʻi and along the East Coast, it’s a reminder that disasters rarely happen one at a time. Recovery from one storm often overlaps with preparation for the next. Along the West Coast, Greyshirts have spent the summer and fall preparing for the Super El Niño with flood mitigation projects, filling sandbags for residents, and training with local authorities.
As National Preparedness Month comes to a close, both storms serve as a reminder that preparedness starts long before a warning is issued.
