Tropical Storm Lala has strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 75mph (120km/h), putting Hawaii's Big Island on course for what could be its first direct hurricane hit in decades. Hawaii Governor Josh Green has declared a state of emergency, and forecasters warn of life-threatening flash flooding, mudslides and dangerous surf as the storm nears landfall on Saturday, August 15, 2026.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's earlier advisory, Lala was located roughly 420 miles (675km) southeast of Hilo on Thursday night, carrying sustained winds of 60mph (97km/h). The agency's storm-tracking page placed the system's center near 16.7°N, 148.9°W at 11:00pm local time on Thursday, with a minimum central pressure of 997 millibars, according to NOAA's satellite storm-tracking page. A separate report noted the storm was about 440 miles east-southeast of Honolulu while still classified as a tropical storm, illustrating how quickly it intensified as it approached the islands, according to ABC News.
By Saturday, Hawaii's Emergency Management Agency reported that Lala had moved to near 17.6°N, 152.4°W and was tracking west-northwest at about 12mph, with hurricane conditions expected on the Big Island later in the day and tropical-storm conditions possible on Oahu and Kauai by Sunday morning, according to the agency's latest update. The National Hurricane Center's newest forecast discussion said damaging hurricane-force winds were expected on the Big Island later Saturday, with tropical-storm-force winds already beginning there and heavy rain spreading westward across the island chain through the weekend, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Has Lala strengthened into a hurricane?
Yes. Lala reached Category 1 hurricane strength on Saturday with sustained winds of 75mph, and forecasters have warned that a worst-case scenario could bring up to 25 inches (63cm) of rain to the Big Island along with a storm surge of up to 3 feet. The storm is expected to make landfall on, or pass very close to, the southern tip of the Big Island on Saturday before continuing westward, weakening to a tropical storm as its center passes just south of the remaining islands.
Which areas are under warnings?
Hurricane warnings now cover Hawaii county, encompassing the Big Island, while tropical storm warnings extend to Maui, Molokai and Kahoolawe to the northwest. A hurricane warning also remains in effect for the Big Island more broadly, with tropical storm warnings covering Maui County, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau. Forecasters expect rainfall totals of 8 to 12 inches across Maui and the Big Island, with isolated pockets on the Big Island receiving as much as 25 inches, and 4 to 6 inches elsewhere in the chain with maximum totals of 8 inches, alongside a storm surge of 1 to 3 feet, according to Hawaii Emergency Management.
By Friday, additional watches and warnings had been extended further across the chain: tropical storm conditions were expected for Kauai, Niihau and Oahu from Saturday evening through Sunday night, while Lanai, Molokai, Kahoolawe, Maui and Hawaii Island faced warnings from Friday through Saturday night. The Big Island's warning area spans multiple zones, including East, Interior, North, South, Southeast, Summits, Kohala and Kona, underscoring how broad the threat footprint is across the island, according to the National Weather Service. Emergency officials have also noted that tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 220 miles from the storm's center, driving impacts well beyond its core.
What is the flooding risk?
NOAA's Weather Prediction Center has cautioned that the islands face life-threatening flash floods and mudslides as the storm closes in. The National Hurricane Center's latest discussion notes that heavy rainfall has already begun over the Big Island and is expected to spread westward across the archipelago through the weekend, raising the risk of dangerous flooding and landslides, according to the agency's forecast discussion. Hawaii's Emergency Management Agency has said the most intense impacts for Hawaii Island are expected between Friday night and Saturday morning, bringing tropical-force winds, heavy rain, storm surge and rough surf, according to the agency's August 2026 update.
The most dire forecasts have been issued for the Big Island's southeast, where the National Weather Service warned that "major rainfall flooding may prompt many evacuations and rescues," adding that rivers and tributaries "may rapidly overflow their banks in multiple places." NOAA's latest storm imagery page similarly warns that heavy rainfall, flooding and strong winds are expected across the Hawaiian Islands this weekend, according to the agency's satellite page.
What has the governor said?
Governor Green formally proclaimed a state of emergency, stressing the seriousness of the threat facing the islands, particularly the Big Island.
"Tropical Storm Lala poses a serious threat to our state, particularly Hawaii Island – and we are taking action now to ensure resources are available where they are needed."
"Our state and county emergency teams are coordinating closely with federal partners. I urge everyone to secure their homes, gather essential supplies, review their family emergency plans and follow updates from trusted official sources. Please take this storm seriously and look out for one another."
As the storm strengthened, Green warned that Hawaii would experience "an incredible amount of water" and posted a further update online.
"Damaging winds, heavy rain, flash flooding and dangerous surf are possible across the state through the weekend."
Residents have been urged to clear gutters and drains, move valuables away from ground level, seal gaps around doors and cut back tree limbs that could damage property. Hawaii's emergency management agency issued a direct warning about coastal dangers.
"Stay away from beaches and coastal areas where rough surf and rip currents could sweep you away."
How are residents and airports responding?
Dozens of flights have been cancelled as the storm approaches. At Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport, the Big Island's largest, roughly 40% of flights were grounded, while about 80% of flights were called off at the island's other main airport, Hilo International, according to flight-tracking data. Local community message boards showed residents filling sandbags to protect their homes and checking which stores remained open in the early hours of Saturday.
Hawaii County's Civil Defense Agency said public shelters were available in every county on the Big Island and urged residents to finalise their preparations.
"The effects of Tropical Storm Lala is here. At this time, you should have completed your storm-ready preparations and focusing on your Sheltering Plan."
How does this compare with past storms?
The last major hurricane to strike Hawaii was Iniki in 1992, a Category 4 storm that killed at least six people, caused an estimated $3 billion in damage and made landfall on the southern coast of Kauai. Should Lala's center track directly over the Big Island, it would mark the first direct hit by a tropical cyclone there since Tropical Storm Darby in 2016. Two years before that, the more powerful Tropical Storm Iselle caused extensive wind damage and widespread power outages across the island.
A separate account, citing the Associated Press, reported that the last hurricane to make landfall specifically on the Big Island occurred 155 years ago, distinct from Iniki's 1992 landfall on Kauai and the more recent tropical storm strikes. AccuWeather has similarly described Lala as a potentially rare direct hit for the Big Island, warning of flash flooding, mudslides, strong winds and dangerous rip currents, according to AccuWeather.
The Big Island has also recently contended with volcanic activity, following Kilauea's eruption in April 2026, when lava fountains reached 200 meters and prompted the closure of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. That history of volcanic unrest gave particular resonance to a visitor's remark on the park's social media page.
"It's gonna be weird to see a giant hurricane be on top of that volcano erupting! Stay safe, everybody."
Officials at the national park closed access to the summit of Mauna Loa, Earth's largest active volcano, on Thursday afternoon, with plans also in place to shut the welcome center, all trails and the Nahuku lava tube ahead of the storm.
What is Hawaii County's mayor telling residents?
Mayor Kimo Alameda has urged residents to prepare for damaging winds, flooding rain, high surf, power outages, disrupted communications and road closures.
"This is a quickly evolving situation and we urge our residents to act now to prepare for the storm by checking your emergency supplies, securing your property and contacting neighbors who may need assistance."
"Readiness requires all of us, and with a storm this close, a slight change in its track can greatly enhance rain and wind hazards across the island. We encourage everyone to stay safe, stay connected, and be prepared to hunker down and stay home during severe weather."
Is this linked to a wider weather pattern?
Lala's arrival coincides with the emergence of a powerful El Niño in the central equatorial Pacific, where sea surface temperatures are already high enough that NOAA has put the odds at 69% for a historic event that could exceed every El Niño on record dating back to 1950 when it peaks between October and December. El Niño, a natural warming pattern in the central and eastern Pacific, tends to fuel hurricane activity in that ocean while dampening it in the Atlantic.
Elsewhere in the Pacific, Tropical Storm Hernan formed on Thursday but posed no threat to land and was weakening as it moved south, located about 1,505 miles (2,420km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula with maximum sustained winds near 40mph (65km/h). In the Atlantic, former Tropical Storm Cristobal weakened into a post-tropical remnant on Thursday, sitting roughly 500 miles (805km) west of the Azores and posing no danger to land.
What happens next?
The National Hurricane Center scheduled a live briefing with Director Michael Brennan for 7:00am Hawaii time (1:00pm Eastern) on Friday, August 14, 2026, to provide the latest guidance on the storm's track and intensity, according to the National Weather Service. On the Big Island, emergency shelters were set to open starting at 6pm on Friday, August 14, 2026, ahead of the storm's expected approach, according to Big Island Now.
Looking further ahead, Hawaii Emergency Management said the storm's center is expected to pass near South Point on the Big Island on Saturday before tracking south of the smaller islands on Sunday, with tropical-storm conditions possible for Oahu and Kauai counties by Sunday morning, according to the agency's latest advisory. The National Hurricane Center said heavy rainfall would continue over the Big Island through Saturday morning and spread westward across the rest of the island chain through the weekend, adding that preparations should now be complete given how close the storm is to the islands, according to the agency's forecast discussion.
Key Facts
- Lala strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 75mph as it neared the Big Island on Saturday, August 15, 2026, up from 60mph on Thursday night.
- A hurricane warning covers Hawaii County; tropical storm warnings extend to Maui County, Oahu, Kauai, Niihau, Molokai and Kahoolawe.
- Forecast rainfall totals range from 8-12 inches, with up to 25 inches possible on the Big Island, plus a storm surge of up to 3 feet.
- Governor Josh Green has declared a state of emergency, warning of an "incredible amount of water" statewide.
- Roughly 40% of flights were cancelled at Kona International Airport and 80% at Hilo International Airport ahead of the storm's approach.
