Hawaii Declares Emergency as Lala Nears Category 1 Strength With 2 Feet of Rain Possible
Updated
Updated · KATU · Aug 15
Hawaii Declares Emergency as Lala Nears Category 1 Strength With 2 Feet of Rain Possible
3 articles · Updated · KATU · Aug 15
Summary
Gov. Josh Green declared a state of emergency Thursday as Tropical Storm Lala is forecast to reach Category 1 hurricane strength near the Big Island early Saturday.
NOAA said the storm could bring life-threatening flooding and mudslides, with some Big Island forecasts calling for 1 to 2 feet of rain as runoff pours down Mauna Kea's steep terrain.
Hurricane warnings cover the entire Big Island for the first time since 2018, and winds could exceed 74 mph even if Lala's center passes just offshore.
Heavy rain, high surf and coastal erosion are expected across the rest of Hawaii through Saturday night, underscoring the state's rare brush with a direct hurricane threat.