Archive · 16 Aug 2026
Hurricane Lala Strengthens, Threatens Hawaii's Big Island with Flooding
A big storm named Lala is moving toward Hawaii, a chain of islands in the Pacific Ocean.
Lala started as a tropical storm, but it grew strong enough to become a hurricane.
A hurricane is a huge spinning storm with very fast winds, and Lala's winds are blowing at about 75 miles per hour.
The storm is expected to reach Hawaii's Big Island on Saturday.
If it hits as a hurricane, it could be the first one to do so in a very long time, though reports disagree on exactly how long.
Lala is bringing a lot of rain — some places could see as much as 25 inches, which is more than two feet.
That much rain can cause dangerous floods and mudslides, especially on Hawaii's big mountains.
Even storms that pass by can be dangerous: a few years ago, a passing hurricane helped fan huge fires on the island of Maui that killed more than 100 people.
Because of the danger, weather experts have put warnings in place, many flights were canceled, and power was out for many people.
The governor of Hawaii asked everyone to stay inside and be safe.
Lala strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane with top winds of 75 mph (121 kph), up from 65 mph, as it closed to within 85 miles of South Point, Hawaii.
The storm was expected to make possible landfall on Hawaii's Big Island on Saturday, with hurricane conditions expected later that day.
Forecasters warned of up to 25 inches of rain on the Big Island, with life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides possible on the islands' steep terrain.
Striking as a hurricane would be historic: reports cite the first Big Island hurricane since about 1900, the first islands-wide since 1992, or a first direct hit in 155 years.
A hurricane warning covered the Big Island, tropical storm watches and warnings covered six other islands, 111 flights were canceled, and 32% of Big Island customers lost power.
- Who
- Residents of Hawaii's Big Island and neighboring islands; US National Hurricane Center forecasters tracking Hurricane Lala; and Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, who urged people to shelter in place.
- What
- Lala strengthened from a tropical storm into Hurricane Lala, a Category 1 storm threatening heavy rain, life-threatening flash flooding, mudslides and strong winds.
- When
- Saturday, when possible landfall and hurricane conditions were expected on the Big Island.
- Where
- Hawaii's Big Island, with the storm about 85 miles from South Point; tropical storm watches and warnings covered Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Kaho'olawe, Oahu and Kauai.
- Why
- A developing El Niño has made conditions more favorable for hurricanes near Hawaii, and heavy rain risks flooding and mudslides on the islands' steep terrain.
- Storm name
- Hurricane Lala (strengthened from Tropical Storm Lala)
- Wind speed
- 75 mph (121 kph), up from 65 mph
- Storm category
- Category 1 on the Saffir-Simpson scale
- Position
- About 85 miles from South Point, Hawaii; earlier 365 miles east-southeast of Hilo, moving west-northwest at 12 mph
- Expected rainfall
- Up to 25 inches on the Big Island; up to 1 foot on eastern Maui; 4-6 inches across the rest of the chain
- Warnings
- Hurricane warning for the Big Island; tropical storm watches and warnings for Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Kaho'olawe, Oahu and Kauai
- Flight disruptions
- 111 flights into and out of Honolulu and Hilo canceled, per FlightAware (earlier: 32 Honolulu and 24 Hilo flights delayed)
- Historic significance
- Reports differ: first hurricane to hit the Big Island since about 1900, first to hit the islands since 1992, or first possible direct hit in 155 years
