Tropical Storm Moke Threatens Hawaii With 15 Inches of Rain After Hurricane Lala
Updated
Updated · The Weather Channel · Aug 20
Tropical Storm Moke Threatens Hawaii With 15 Inches of Rain After Hurricane Lala
3 articles · Updated · The Weather Channel · Aug 20
Summary
The National Hurricane Center issued its first advisory on Tropical Depression Two-C, a system about 1,000 miles east-southeast of the Big Island that is expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Moke.
Forecasters expect Moke to pass south of Hawaii Sunday into Monday, likely staying a tropical storm or at most a Category 1 hurricane as wind shear limits intensification.
The biggest risk is rain: the Big Island could get 5 to 15 inches, especially on mountains and eastern slopes, raising the threat of life-threatening flash flooding and landslides.
Other islands could see 1 to 5 inches of rain and localized flooding, while tropical-storm-force winds remain uncertain and are most likely near Hawaii's southern tip and high terrain.
The threat comes just days after Hurricane Lala caused destructive flooding and damaged about 100 homes on the Big Island, leaving Hawaii more vulnerable to another soaking.
With Hawaii's infrastructure already crippled by Hurricane Lala, can the islands survive Moke's impending deluge without a catastrophic systemic collapse?
Why might a weaker Tropical Storm Moke actually trigger deadlier landslides than the powerful hurricane that just devastated the state?
As back-to-back storms batter the isolated islands, how will stranded residents survive if already damaged supply routes are completely washed away?