Hurricane Lala struck Hawaii’s Big Island as a Category 1 storm on Sunday, killing at least one person and dumping more than 30 inches of rain before weakening to a tropical storm that continued to batter the island chain with flooding winds and heavy surf.
The storm’s eyewall passed directly over the Big Island early Sunday, though the eye itself remained offshore. Maximum sustained winds reached 70 mph before dropping to 65 mph by mid-morning, with the storm center located about 75 miles southwest of Honolulu and moving northwest at 14 mph, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center.
Record Rainfall and Flash Flooding
The community of Laupahoehoe on the Hamakua Coast recorded more than 33 inches of rain since Friday, with some areas receiving rainfall at rates of 3 to 5 inches per hour during the storm’s peak. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency for parts of the Big Island, including Naalehu, Pahala, and Hawaiian Ocean View.
A weather station at the Mauna Kea Summit recorded a 140 mph wind gust at the storm’s closest approach. Lower elevations saw winds peaking between 70 and 80 mph. More than 40,000 customers lost power across the islands.
State of Emergency and Federal Response
Governor Josh Green signed an emergency proclamation ahead of the storm, unlocking access to a $100 million state disaster fund. Schools and state offices on Hawaii Island, Maui, Lanai, and Molokai closed for the weekend.
“The Trump Administration continues tracking and monitoring conditions on the ground in Hawaii. While Hawaii has not requested Federal assistance under the Stafford Act as of today, the USCG is supporting search and rescue at the request of the Hawaii County Fire Department,” White House spokesperson Lauren Bis said in a statement.
Tropical storm warnings remain in effect for Maui County, Oahu, and Kauai. An additional 4 to 6 inches of rain is expected through Monday, with localized totals possibly reaching 8 inches. Flood watches cover all Hawaiian islands.
Lala is the first hurricane to directly strike the Big Island since Hurricane Hone in 2024. The storm is expected to continue moving westward through early this week, passing south of Kauai before tracking toward the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
Sources: ABC News; National Hurricane Center Advisory 17A (August 16, 2026); Big Island Now; CBS News
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