Tropical Storm Moke has formed in the Pacific Ocean and is forecast to be the second significant tropical cyclone to impact Hawaii in as many weeks, with forecasters warning of potentially life-threatening floods and mudslides.
Moke reached tropical storm strength on Friday afternoon with sustained winds of 45 mph, bringing heavy rainfall that officials fear will exacerbate flooding and mudslides on Hawaii's Big Island. The state is still recovering from Hurricane Lala, which caused at least two fatalities and destroyed over 100 homes when it struck the island chain a week prior.
The National Hurricane Center stated that heavy rainfall associated with Moke began impacting the Big Island late Saturday night and was expected to spread westward across the rest of the Hawaiian Islands Sunday into Monday. The storm's rainfall could produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides, particularly for the windward and southeast areas of the Big Island, especially in steep terrain and regions already affected by Hurricane Lala.
A significant portion of the Big Island is projected to receive between four and 12 inches of rain over the weekend. Tropical Storm Moke is anticipated to track farther south, suggesting its direct impact might be less severe than Hurricane Lala, which affected the entire state, including the more populous islands of Oahu, Maui, and Kauai.
This marks the first time in a decade that two tropical cyclones have impacted Hawaii within a two-week span, the last instance being Tropical Storm Madeline and Hurricane Lester in 2016.
Although Moke is not predicted to reach hurricane strength, with winds not expected to exceed 74 mph, meteorologists have noted that the cyclone is considerably larger than Lala. Rain bands from Moke extend approximately 200 miles from its center, reaching the Hawaiian Islands and popular tourist destinations.
Alex DaSilva, AccuWeather's lead hurricane expert, emphasized the vulnerability of the region given the intense rain from Lala and the need for preparedness against further flooding. The National Hurricane Center also warned of potential life-threatening surf and rip current conditions along Hawaii's shores over the weekend. Rip currents are narrow channels of water flowing away from the shore that can be dangerous, even for strong swimmers, by pulling them into deeper water and causing exhaustion.