Forecasters say storm will cause heavy rains and large waves along the coast, near communities still recovering from extreme weather

Hurricane Nolo is expected to bring potentially life-threatening and catastrophic flooding to Hawaii on Friday, affecting communities that are still recovering from devastating storms earlier this summer.

The state activated more than 230 Hawaii national guard members and closed schools ahead of the storm. Nolo is expected to move west on Saturday and not directly hit the islands, but forecasters say it will still cause heavy rainfall, as much as 25in, as well as large and damaging waves along the coast.

Forecasters say up to 40 million people in multiple US states could be affected by the early season northeasterly storm

High winds and heavy rain were beginning to batter New England on Friday as a “significant” nor’easter, the first such storm of the fall, threatened to disrupt weekend plans for millions.

In the Pacific Ocean, meanwhile, three separate hurricanes, one threatening “catastrophic flooding”, including life-threatening flash floods, in Hawaii, were churning as a record-setting El Niño continued to amplify severe weather events on a global scale.