No one took the hurricane seriously in my area. Everyone went to the beach to catch big east swells and did zero prep. I fear that one day we will get nailed and it will be ugly.
Ya, all it would've taken was for Doogy to make a more westerly jog, instead of a NW jog yesterday and Oahu/Kauai would've been dead nuts center punched with full hurricane force winds for a few hours each.
When really strong hurricanes (not Doogy by the time it got there) move at a good clip like this one was moving, they usually get these wobbles in the path like a rock skipping on a pond. Those wobbles can make all the difference to a place like Hawaii in the middle of the Pacific where all forces are still feeding the storm up until landfall, and then can re-emerge again over open water between islands if organized enough.
When they come from the near straight east like this one, the ever so slightest change in path angle can make all the difference. With a somewhat La Nina condition, luckily water temps are not late summer warm yet, and upper level winds were not favorable for re-strengthening once near Hawaii (at this very moment). When it was much further east and south of latitude 15-17, waters were quite a bit warmer and upper levels prime for quick building to Cat 4. But once out of that environment, degradation starts taking its toll.
Iniki's path was totally different (similar with Iwa). Storm skirted below islands a ways down south, but in warmer waters, so it could juice up at any moment. That sudden right turn north running straight thru the center of Kauai at Cat 4 and 5 was worse than most expected.
But ya, any solid hurricane can turn a deadly destructive beast if anywhere near a path forecast towards or around Hawaii.
Odds are usually it won't make a direct hit, but we know those odds run out, eventually.