- Tropical storm-force winds were hitting the Big Island of Hawaii overnight as Lala approached, and the storm is expected to reach hurricane strength Saturday before bringing heavy rain, winds, and dangerous surf.
- At 2 a.m. Hawaii time (8 a.m. ET), Lala was still a tropical storm moving toward Hawaii, located about 140 miles southeast of South Point, the southernmost point of the United States.
- The storm is expected to pass near or over the southern part of the Big Island on Saturday, and forecasters predict it will reach Category 1 hurricane status.
- Flooding is one of the biggest threats, and Gov. Josh Green warned residents to stay home and off roads during flooding conditions, calling the storm "enormous" with "a ton of rain."
- Whether Lala makes a direct hit depends on a slight shift in its track; AccuWeather predicts it will come within 10 miles of the island, just to the south.
- Regardless of landfall, impacts could be significant, as AccuWeather Expert Meteorologist Tyler Roys warned that flooding rain, damaging wind gusts, and dangerous surf can extend well beyond the eye.
- Heavy rainfall is expected: 10 to 20 inches on the Big Island (up to 25 inches locally), 8 to 12 inches on Maui, and 4 to 6 inches on other islands (max 8 inches), with life-threatening flooding and mudslides possible.
Tropical Storm Lala is currently impacting Hawaii's Big Island with tropical storm-force winds and is projected to strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane by Saturday. As of 2 a.m. Hawaii time, Lala was located about 140 miles southeast of South Point, Hawaii, and is expected to pass near or over the southern part of the island.12389
Governor Josh Green emphasized the storm's potential severity, stating, "This is an enormous storm. It's going to be a ton of rain ... which means that there's going to be flooding, and we have to be very, very careful about that."67
The National Hurricane Center warns that 10 to 20 inches of rainfall could occur across the Big Island, with localized areas possibly receiving up to 25 inches. Maui may see 8 to 12 inches, while other islands could experience 4 to 6 inches of rain.121314
AccuWeather meteorologists predict that Lala could come within 10 miles of the island, and regardless of its exact path, the storm's impacts will be felt widely. Expert Meteorologist Tyler Roys cautioned, "This is not a storm where people should focus on a line on a map. Flooding rain, damaging wind gusts and dangerous surf can extend well beyond the eye of the storm."
If Lala makes landfall as a hurricane, it would mark the first hurricane to hit the Big Island on record and the first in over three decades.
“Gov. Josh Green warned residents to stay home and off roads, calling the storm 'enormous' with 'a ton of rain.' The National Hurricane Center forecasts 10-20 inches of rain on the Big Island, with up to 25 inches locally, posing life-threatening flooding and mudslides.”
