Hurricane Lala passed closest to Hawaii's Big Island at around 5 p.m. local time Saturday, with its eyewall sweeping within roughly 30 miles of the southern coast at maximum sustained winds of 80 miles per hour, according to the National Hurricane Center. One person died in a storm-related car accident, Hawaii Governor Josh Green confirmed in a video update Saturday evening.
More than 60,000 utility customers across the state lost power as Lala's winds downed trees and power lines across the island chain. Green said at least 19 buildings had their roofs torn off. Hawaii County Mayor Kimo Alameda described a record number of road closures and extended outages, adding that repair crews had been ordered to stand down.
"Conditions have degraded to a point that concern for the safety of our road and power personnel has resulted in crews being asked to fall back until conditions improve," Alameda said in a Facebook post Saturday evening, where he also confirmed that a hurricane warning remained in effect for the county.
Lala strengthened from a tropical storm to a Category 1 hurricane earlier Saturday before making its closest pass at the Big Island. The storm did not make landfall, but its most dangerous winds sat north of the eye—placing them directly over land rather than open water. Rain-saturated soil compounded the wind threat by making trees easier to uproot, accelerating power line failures.
Rainfall totals are the storm's most severe threat. The National Hurricane Center warned of life-threatening flooding and mudslides, particularly across steep terrain. More than 12 inches of rain fell in Keanakolu in the 24 hours through Saturday. Forecasters expect the Big Island to receive more than a foot of rain overall, with isolated areas seeing over two feet. A foot of rain in Hilo would represent more than a full month's normal accumulation for the city.
The storm's reach extended well beyond the Big Island. Tropical storm warnings covered Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu, Kauai and Kahoolawe. Up to a foot of rain is forecast for parts of Maui. Waves on east-facing shores were projected to reach 8 to 12 feet, prompting a high surf advisory for those coastlines.
Green said more than 190 flights into and out of Hawaii were postponed as of Saturday evening. The governor devoted much of his video update to cautioning residents that the next 36 hours would be consumed by emergency response. Formal damage assessments are not scheduled to begin until Monday.
The storm's trajectory runs northwest, meaning its heaviest rain will shift toward the remaining islands in the chain before Lala weakens. The National Hurricane Center flagged flash flooding as the primary ongoing risk as the system passes. The mountainous terrain of Mauna Loa is also expected to disrupt Lala's low-level circulation, potentially deforming the storm's structure as it moves through.
Alameda urged residents to remain sheltered Saturday evening. Green had earlier described Lala as an enormous storm capable of destructive flooding and, given the strong winds, the possibility of wildfires on drier parts of the island chain. Crews will not begin comprehensive road and infrastructure assessments until weather conditions allow safe access, a timeline the governor placed no earlier than Monday.
