Hurricane Lala strengthened on Saturday, August 15, 2026, as it approached the Big Island of Hawaii with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph. Forecasters warned residents to prepare for torrential rains of 10 to 20 inches, life-threatening flash flooding, and potential historic impacts across the islands.
The system crossed a significant threshold on Saturday, intensifying into a Category 1 hurricane while tracking northwest at about 8 mph. According to the National Hurricane Center, the center of the storm was located roughly 65 miles southeast of South Point at 11 a.m. Hawaii time, bringing tropical storm conditions and hurricane-force wind gusts to higher elevations on the Big Island.
Governor and Forecasters Warn of Life-Threatening Flooding Risks
State officials urged residents to shelter in place and stay off roads as severe weather bands began sweeping ashore. The National Hurricane Center projected widespread rainfall totals of 10 to 20 inches across the Big Island, with isolated spots potentially seeing up to 25 inches.
“This is an enormous storm,”
Josh Green, Hawaii Governor
Green added during a news conference that 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
. Flash flood warnings went into effect for the island as rain fell at rates between 1 and 2.5 inches per hour, particularly targeting the Kau and Puna districts.
Big Island Residents Brace and Prepare as Conditions Worsen
Communities across the Big Island spent the week preparing for the severe weather, securing homes, checking on neighbors, and ensuring that homeless residents had access to emergency shelters. Vanessa Cantrell, a 49-year-old artist living near the city of Volcano, noted that local preparedness is driven by the stark reality of past storms according to reporting from USA TODAY.
“I’m not scared, but I think that’s because the local people get prepared. We do what we’re supposed to do to make sure that we’re ready,” she told USA TODAY shortly after Lala became a hurricane Saturday. “Because we know from experience that when we don’t people die.”
Vanessa Cantrell, resident of Volcano, Hawaii
Cantrell experienced wind gusts up to 49 mph near her forested home, where tree branches whipped around and small, isolated power outages occurred. Utility crews actively worked in the deteriorating weather to clear damage as reported by USA TODAY, while residents along the southern coast boarded up windows in anticipation of the eye’s close approach.
Historical Context From Hurricane Hone and Active Central Pacific Season
Forecasters emphasized that severe impacts can occur even without a direct landfall. In August 2024, Hurricane Hone passed about 50 miles south of the Big Island, generating over 20 inches of rain in 48 hours across windward and southeast-facing slopes and knocking out power for more than 20,000 customers based on meteorological data covered by KTVU. Hakalau recorded 28.82 inches of rain during that event, while Saddle Quarry measured 25.03 inches and Mountain View received 21.30 inches.
This heightened vulnerability arrives during an unusually busy period for the region. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 2026 outlook called for a 70% chance of an above-normal Central Pacific hurricane season, driven in part by El Niño conditions according to seasonal forecasts detailed by KTVU, projecting between five and 13 tropical cyclones.
Wind Gusts, Surf Warnings, and Potential Records
Beyond the deluge, the storm pack carried powerful winds and high surf. The weather service recorded wind gusts reaching 75 mph at Maalaea on Maui and 72 mph at Kawaihae on the Big Island before 8:30 a.m. local time on Saturday. Forecasters also warned of a large easterly swell building across the region, with warning-level surf heights of 15 feet or higher expected along east-facing shores.
If Lala maintains its hurricane status through landfall, it will secure a notable place in meteorological history. The National Hurricane Center noted that the event would mark the first hurricane on record to hit the Big Island and the first hurricane landfall anywhere in Hawaii in more than three decades.
Next Movement and Track Expectations
The system is expected to move near or over the southern portion of the Big Island late Saturday before weakening as it interacts with the island. Forecasters continue to track its trajectory as it moves west-northwest toward the smaller Hawaiian islands through the remainder of the weekend.
