Hurricane Lala strengthens to Category 1 as it nears Hawaii's Big Island

Storm strengthens to hurricane

Lala, formerly a tropical storm, intensified into a Category 1 hurricane on Saturday morning as it approached Hawaii's Big Island. The U.S. National Hurricane Center reported maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h). A sustained wind of 41 mph (66 km/h) with a gust of 64 mph (102 km/h) was recorded at an observation site near South Point at an elevation of 550 feet (167.6 meters). As of 2 a.m. HST, Lala was located about 140 miles (225 km) southeast of South Point, moving west-northwest at 13 mph (20 kph). By the 10 a.m. HST (1900 GMT) advisory, the storm was about 150 kilometers south of Hilo. Tropical storm force winds extended outward for as much as 220 miles (350 km).

Warnings and preparations

A hurricane warning was issued for the Big Island, where hurricane conditions were expected to begin Saturday afternoon. Tropical storm warnings covered Maui County (Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe), Oahu, Kauai, and Niihau. Governor Josh Green declared a state of emergency on Thursday.

The tropical storm Lala represents a serious threat to our State, particularly for the island of Hawaii, and we are acting now to guarantee that resources are available where they are needed.

The Hawaii Department of Transportation closed Hilo International Airport and scheduled the closure of Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at 2 p.m. HST. Commercial ports on Hawaii Island, Maui County, and Kauai were also shut. According to flightaware.com, 40% of flights at Kona were grounded and 80% at Hilo were cancelled.

Impact on the ground

Heavy rain and strong wind gusts from Lala's outer bands already caused localized flooding on Big Island. Trees toppled, and roads were blocked by fallen power lines, debris, and landslides. Hawaii News Now reported that more than 9,700 customers were temporarily without power, while Hawaiian Electric put the figure at 4,050. Dozens of people sought refuge in emergency shelters. Hawaii County's Civil Defense Agency said public shelters were available in every county on Big Island.

Rainfall and surge forecasts

The National Hurricane Center predicted 8 to 12 inches (20.3 to 30.5 cm) of rain across Maui and lower elevations of the Big Island, with 4 to 6 inches (10.2 to 15.2 cm) across the island chain. Higher elevations could receive as much as 25 inches (63.5 cm). The center warned of life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain, along with a dangerous storm surge of 3 feet (30 to 90 cm). On Maui's east coast, surf heights of 4 to 5.5 meters were forecast for the evening. Meteorologist Vanessa Almanza noted that the latest forecast had Lala striking very close to the southern tip of the Big Island.

It doesn't take landfall to create destruction.

Historical context and naming

The last hurricane to make landfall on Hawaii's Big Island was a Category 3 storm that struck the northeast corner in 1871, according to a University of Hawaii atmospheric scientist's research of newspaper accounts. The last hurricane to strike Hawaii was Iniki, a Category 4 storm that hit Kauai in 1992, causing six deaths and $3 billion in damage. If Lala maintains intensity and makes landfall, it would be the first direct hurricane hit on the Big Island in 155 years. The name Lala, a traditional Hawaiian name meaning "branch" or "limb of a tree," was assigned by the World Meteorological Organization from a rotating list of Central Pacific storm names. The next two names on the list are Moke and Nolo. A particularly strong El Niño this year is warming the equatorial Pacific and increasing the probability of cyclones, with meteorologists expecting a more active than average hurricane season in the region.