Hawaii is bracing for the potential impact of Tropical Storm Lala, which could be the first hurricane to make a direct landfall on the islands in 34 years. The storm is expected to move westward, potentially weakening to a tropical storm, with its center passing south of the main Hawaiian islands.
Governor Josh Green has warned of significant rainfall, forecasting "an incredible amount of water" and "damaging winds, heavy rain, flash flooding and dangerous surf" across the state throughout the weekend. These conditions have already led to dozens of flight cancellations. At Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport on the Big Island, 40% of flights were grounded, and Hilo International Airport saw 80% of its flights canceled, according to flightaware.com.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued more severe forecasts for southeastern areas of the Big Island, predicting that "major rainfall flooding may prompt many evacuations and rescues." The NWS also cautioned that rivers and tributaries could "rapidly overflow their banks in multiple places."
Residents have been urged by officials to complete storm preparations and focus on their sheltering plans. Social media posts show residents filling sandbags to protect their homes. Hawaii County's Civil Defense Agency confirmed that public shelters are available in every county on the Big Island.
Historically, the last hurricane to make landfall in Hawaii was Iniki, a Category 4 storm in 1992. Iniki caused six fatalities and approximately $3 billion in damage after striking the southern coast of Kauai. The last time a hurricane made landfall on Hawaii's Big Island specifically was 155 years ago, according to the Associated Press.
In a worst-case scenario, Category 1 storm Lala could deposit up to 25 inches (63 cm) of rain on the Big Island.