Updated 2:39 p.m., 8/31/2016

The Big Island was bracing Wednesday for Tropical Storm Madeline’s expected arrival with schools canceling classes and people boarding up windows.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Lester will approach the islands in two to three days.

The National Weather Service discontinued its hurricane warning for the Big Island on Wednesday, but issued a tropical storm warning in its place.

A tropical storm warning was also issued for Maui County — Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kahoolawe — as Madeline made its way west across the islands. 

Forecasters said the storm’s center would be “dangerously close” to the Big Island late Wednesday and early Thursday.

Winds decreased to 70 mph, from 75 mph late this morning.

The storm was 105 miles south-southeast of Hilo and 300 miles southeast of Honolulu, moving west-southwest at 12 mph at 2 p.m.

At 2 p.m. Wednesday, Madeline was continuing its westward track and steadily weakening, with maximum sustained winds at 70 mph. It was 300 miles southeast of Honolulu and was expected to pass just south of the Big Island.

Warnings were issued for high surf, flash floods, mudslides and damaging winds. Up to 15 inches of rain was forecast for some areas of the Big Island, with up to 25-foot waves on east-facing shores.

The state Department of Education and University of Hawaii announced that all of their facilities on the Big Island would be closed starting Wednesday. The DOE said there would be no classes Wednesday or Thursday and inter-scholastic events were also canceled those days. Charter school closures are posted here.

“Users are reminded to not focus too closely on the exact forecast track, as small changes can lead to differences in impacts and that hazards associated with hurricanes can extend well away from the center,” forecasters said in a statement Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Lester was making its way toward Hawaii from the Eastern Pacific.

The storm had been weakening, but that trend has stopped for now, forecasters said. Lester is expected to move near or just north of the Hawaiian Islands by Saturday.

Gov. David Ige signed an emergency proclamation Tuesday in anticipation of both storms.

“As always, our top priority is protecting the health, safety and overall welfare of our residents and visitors,” Ige said in a statement. “During this time, I ask residents and visitors to closely follow emergency instructions as we prepare for the storm. I urge you to take immediate steps to protect your families, loved ones, employees and property. The state is monitoring the storms and standing by to support the counties.”

The proclamation, which runs through Sept. 9, authorized the spending of state money “for quick and efficient relief of disaster-related damages, losses and suffering resulting from the storms,” according to the governor’s office.

A high surf warning is in effect for east-facing shores of East Maui (peaking in the 12- to 18-foot range late Wednesday), and a high surf advisory is in effect for east-facing shores of Kauai, Oahu, Molokai and West Maui (building to 5 to 9 feet overnight).

Surf is expected to slowly decrease late Thursday and early Friday but rise again this weekend due to Hurricane Lester.

Hawaii County has activated emergency shelters at: Hilo High, Honokaa High, Kalanianaole Elementary and Intermediate, Kau High, Keaau High, Kealakehe High, Kohala High, Konawaena High, Laupahoehoe Public Charter School, Mountain View Elementary, Pahoa High, Waiakea High, Waikoloa Elementary and Waimea Middle.

The Red Cross provides disaster-preparedness guides here. More information can be found on the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency’s website here.