A hurricane warning is in effect for Hawaii’s Big Island as forecasters track Tropical Storm Lala, a system that could become the first hurricane in recorded history to make landfall on the island.
AccuWeather meteorologists report that the storm is gaining strength as it heads toward the state, threatening heavy rainfall, destructive winds, flash floods, and coastal storm surges starting Friday afternoon and continuing through the weekend. While the Big Island faces the most direct threat, a tropical storm watch is also active for Maui, Molokai, and Lanai, including the city of Kahului.
Direct hurricane landfalls are historically unprecedented for the Big Island. Records dating back to 1900 show that only a small number of named tropical systems have crossed its coastline.
“Tropical Storms Darby in 2016 and Iselle in 2014 are the only tropical storms to ever make landfall on Hawaii’s Big Island,” said AccuWeather Meteorologist Jesse Ferrell. “A hurricane has never made landfall on the Big Island.”
Even if the center remains slightly offshore, meteorologists warn that the storm’s outer bands will bring widespread disruption. Current projections place the center of Lala just south of the island chain, a trajectory that mirrors recent severe weather events.
“One storm that closely resembles Lala was Hurricane Hone in late August of 2024. Hone passed about 50 miles south of the Big Island as a Category 1 hurricane,” said AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva. “Despite never making landfall in Hawaii, Hone brought more than 2 feet of rain to portions of the Big Island, causing significant flooding, as well as winds in excess of 70 mph.”
Forecasters predict general rainfall totals between 4 and 8 inches across Maui and the Big Island. Northern and eastern sections of the Big Island could see between 12 and 18 inches of rain, with localized maximums reaching up to 30 inches, posing severe risks for flash flooding and mudslides in elevated terrain.
Wind gusts are projected to reach between 40 and 60 mph across the region, with gusts hitting 60 to 80 mph in parts of the Big Island and peak gusts potentially reaching 100 mph. Forecasters warn these winds could cause widespread power outages and property damage. Along the coast, storm surge is expected to run 1 to 3 feet, with localized surges reaching 6 feet alongside rough surf and dangerous rip currents.
AccuWeather has rated Lala a 2 on its RealImpact Scale for Hurricanes, a metric that accounts for flooding, wind, storm surge, and potential economic loss rather than wind speed alone.
Lala arrives during an active Eastern Pacific hurricane season driven by strengthening El Niño conditions. By mid-August, the basin had already produced eight named storms and two hurricanes, including Category 5 Hurricane Genevieve. Tropical Storm Fausto had previously been the only system this season to track as far west as Hawaii’s longitude, passing well north of the islands in late July.
Officials advise residents across all Hawaiian islands to finalize storm preparations before conditions worsen on Friday.
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