Josh Green warned Hawaii residents to brace for Hurricane Lala as the category one storm neared Big Island with a hurricane warning in effect and the possibility of the state's first direct hit from a hurricane since 1992. The storm was expected to either make landfall or pass close to the southern tip of Big Island on Saturday.
Green said on X that residents should prepare for “an incredible amount of water,” and added that “Damaging winds, heavy rain, flash flooding and dangerous surf are possible across the state through the weekend.” The National Weather Service said the worst-case rainfall total on Big Island could reach 25in, along with a 3ft storm surge.
Big Island warnings
A hurricane warning was in effect for Big Island, while Maui County, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau were under tropical storm warnings. The National Weather Service said major rainfall flooding may prompt many evacuations and rescues, and that rivers and tributaries may rapidly overflow their banks in multiple places.
Residents of Big Island were told by Hawaii County's Civil Defense Agency: “At this time, you should have completed your storm-ready preparations and focusing on your Sheltering Plan,” as public shelters were available in every county on Big Island. The agency's message pointed to the immediate step for people in the warning area: finish preparations and move to shelter planning before conditions worsen.
Hilo and Kona flights
Flight operations were already being cut back at Ellison Onizuka Kona International and Hilo International. At Ellison Onizuka Kona International, 40% of flights were grounded, and at Hilo International, 80% of flights were called off.
Over the weekend, Lala was expected to continue moving westwards and may weaken into a tropical storm even as officials warned of life-threatening conditions, including floods and mudslides. The center of Lala may pass just below Hawaii's other islands, leaving Big Island as the area facing the sharpest risk if the storm tracks closer to land.
Hurricane Lala and 1992
The storm's timing carries unusual weight for Hawaii. Iniki was the last hurricane to strike Hawaii in 1992, and the last time a hurricane made landfall on Big Island was 155 years ago. That leaves the weekend track decision — landfall or a pass just south of the island — as the detail that will define where the hardest impacts fall.
