Hurricane Lala set its sights on Hawaii’s Big Island on Saturday, potentially marking the first direct hurricane hit on the island in 155 years.
The National Hurricane Center reported that Lala’s maximum sustained winds had reached 75 mph (120 kph), classifying it as a Category 1 hurricane. The hurricane’s eyewall was expected to pass over or near the island’s southern edge by evening, with its strongest winds impacting volcanic slopes situated thousands of feet above sea level.
Weather experts indicated that the island’s higher elevations, especially around the towering Mauna Kea volcano, could receive up to 25 inches (63.5 centimeters) of rain.
Such rainfall could trigger dangerous mudslides in mountainous areas where many residents live in makeshift housing off the grid. Authorities urged these residents to seek safe shelter promptly.
Bobby Camara, a 75-year-old lifelong resident of the Big Island, expressed his intention to “hunker down, cross my fingers, and hope the lights don’t go out” at a care facility just outside Hilo. He noted that gas stations were busy as residents stocked up on fuel for chainsaws and vehicles.
“I think stocking up is part of life over here. … You learn to be self-reliant,” Camara remarked.
Governor Josh Green characterized the situation as an “enormous storm,” cautioning against destructive flooding and the potential for wildfires exacerbated by strong winds across the island chain. According to poweroutage.us, power was already out for 10% of customers on the Big Island.
Mike Caputo, a resident of Keaau near the island’s east coast, voiced concerns about flash flooding and fallen trees, particularly the common albizia tree.
“They’re not very sturdy, but they grow extremely large,” said Caputo, a 50-year-old local fire captain. “They can make roads impassable. I made sure my trees were trimmed a few days ago.”
The Big Island was under a hurricane warning, and tropical storm warnings were issued for Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Oahu, Kauai, and Niihau.
According to research by a University of Hawaii atmospheric scientist, a Category 3 hurricane struck the northeast corner of the Big Island in 1871. Forecasts suggested that Lala would pass “very close to the southern tip of the Big Island,” according to Vanessa Almanza, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Honolulu.
Shelters have been opened, events canceled, and ranchers have been advised to leave cattle in pastures rather than in structures that might collapse. “It doesn’t take landfall to create destruction,” Almanza said.
The hurricane center estimated 8 to 12 inches (20.3 to 30.5 centimeters) of total rainfall for Maui and the lower elevations of the Big Island, with 4 to 6 inches (10.2 to 15.2 centimeters) expected across the rest of the island chain.
Officials urge taking the storm seriously
State Representative Jeanné Kapela called for vigilance, especially noting the southern end of the island is remote and rural, with agriculture such as coffee and cattle, but growing in population due to affordability. She was particularly concerned for those living off the grid.
“If you feel now that your house doesn’t have a great roof or might not be able to withstand hurricane force winds, then first things first you go to a family or friend’s house and you kind of hunker down there,” she advised in a text to The Associated Press.
Many Hawaiians are still coping with the repercussions of devastating floods in March. Farmers still recovering remain concerned about further damage, according to Hawaii Farm Bureau director Brian Miyamoto.
Wildfire risks increase during windy weather
With winds intensifying across the islands, Almanza noted that dry and windy conditions outside the storm could heighten fire risks.
In 2023, the Maui town of Lahaina burned during extreme winds as a hurricane passed far to the south.
“Since the fire, everybody is way more aware of weather in general and our environment and things that are happening,” said Archie Kalepa of Lahaina, known locally for his surfing, paddling, and ocean expertise.
Kauai, located several islands northwest of the Big Island, was hit by Hurricane Iniki as a Category 4 storm in 1992—an El Nino year like this one when a warming of the Pacific near the equator boosts hurricane activity in the Pacific and alters global weather patterns.
“It did $3 billion worth of damage. It destroyed thousands of homes, and it did kill six people,” said Steven Businger, a University of Hawaii atmospheric scientist. “We just can never know if a storm is going to turn.”
Associated Press writer Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu contributed.
