Tropical Storm Moke approaches Hawaii as islands recover from Hurricane Lala

Tracking Tropical Storm Moke

Tropical Storm Moke advanced across the Pacific Ocean toward Hawaii on Saturday, moving along a trajectory positioned south of Hawaii Island. The storm formed on Friday in the Pacific Ocean and maintained maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometres per hour (50 miles per hour). At 5:00 a.m. local time on Saturday, the system was centered approximately 755 kilometres (470 miles) southeast of Hilo, traveling west-northwest at 19 kilometres per hour (12 miles per hour). By 11:00 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time (21:00 GMT), the National Hurricane Center reported that Moke was located about 684 kilometres (425 miles) south of Hilo while sustaining its forward speed. The storm is projected to avoid a direct landfall on the Big Island as it passes to the south overnight into Sunday morning, continuing on a westward track near the archipelago through early Tuesday.

Preparedness and emergency measures

Hawaii state officials and emergency management personnel held a news conference ahead of the storm, urging residents across the island chain to restock food, medicine, and essential household supplies. Hawaii Governor Josh Green confirmed that emergency workers were pre-positioning equipment and operational teams to respond to potential hazards. The state also made emergency accommodations available for residents who might lack shelter or necessary public services.

It could certainly have a big impact because we've already been hit hard. We're pre-positioning all kinds of additional equipment and people. I've also authorised 100 rooms, hotel rooms, for people to go to, in case they don't have enough services or protection, safety.

Although no coastal watches or warnings were in effect early Saturday morning, weather officials advised the public to track the storm closely. Forecasters warned that the incoming rainfall carried the threat of life-threatening flash flooding, mudslides on saturated slopes, and dangerous rip currents along coastal waters.

Rainfall forecasts across the islands

Meteorological projections indicated that the southeast and windward sides of Hawaii Island would receive between 130 and 250 millimetres (5 to 10 inches) of rain, with isolated locations receiving up to 380 millimetres (15 inches). Casey Oswant, a meteorologist based at the Honolulu office of the National Weather Service, stated that the overall impact would remain more limited than the destruction caused by the preceding storm.

There will still be impacts, especially to the windward and southeast sides of the Big Island, but it will probably be a little bit more limited than what we saw with Lala.

Elsewhere in the state, rainfall totals were expected to stay between 25 and 50 millimetres (1 to 2 inches) across most islands, though parts of east Maui were forecast to receive up to 100 millimetres (4 inches).

Lingering damage from Hurricane Lala

Tropical Storm Moke approached as Hawaii continued recovery efforts following Hurricane Lala, a Category 1 storm that struck the islands one week earlier and caused one death. Lala dropped over 1,000 millimetres (39 inches) of rain in several locations, with the northeast coast of Hawaii Island recording a maximum of 1.1 metres (43.54 inches). The resulting floodwaters caused rivers to burst their banks, washed buildings off their foundations, damaged infrastructure including roads and bridges, and left transit routes blocked by mud and rocks. Strong winds also bent tall palm trees and knocked down power lines, cutting electrical service to nearly 130,000 utility customers. Although utility teams restored power to most of the Big Island, approximately 9,000 customers remained without electricity on Saturday, and full restoration in remote areas is projected to take until 8 September.