Hawaiian island bracing for first direct hurricane landfall in 155 years
- Hurricane Lala has strengthened into a Category 1 storm with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph as it barrels toward Hawaii‘s Big Island for what could be its first direct hurricane landfall in 155 years.
- Forecasters warned that higher elevations near the Mauna Kea volcano could see up to 25 inches of rainfall with severe risks of life-threatening flash floods and mudslides for mountainous off-grid communities.
- Hawaii Governor Josh Green urged residents to take precautions for the “enormous” storm as tropical storm warnings were issued across Maui, Oahu, and Kauai for potential destructive flooding, strong winds, and elevated wildfire risks.
- Officials and locals rushed to prepare for impact by opening emergency shelters, canceling events, and trimming hazardous trees, drawing on lessons from past weather disasters such as Hurricane Iniki in 1992 and the 2023 Lahaina wildfires.
- The National Hurricane Center cautioned that even without a direct landfall, winds on windward slopes and mountains could be 30 percent stronger than near-surface advisory speeds, accompanied by dangerous surf and ocean swells.
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