Hurricane Lala moved just south of Hawaii over the weekend, causing significant damage through heavy rain and high wind. While the center of the storm remained off the coast, the islands experienced widespread flash flooding and major power outages. Over 110,000 customers across the state were left without electricity by Monday afternoon, and some residents in rural areas face the prospect of outages lasting for weeks or months.
The storm hit the Big Island with Category 1 intensity, bringing rainfall totals that rank among the highest ever recorded in Hawaii. One location reported over 43 inches of rain, while wind gusts at the summit of Mauna Kea reached 140 mph. State and county offices, schools, and courts remained closed on Monday to allow for cleanup and to address the damage caused by the intense weather system.
Despite the destruction, the Island of Hawaii avoided an official hurricane landfall as the eye of the storm stayed approximately 30 miles southwest of South Point. Meteorological data indicates that the windward slopes of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea absorbed the brunt of the rainfall, as the storm pushed moisture into the rugged terrain. Airport stations across the state reported gusts ranging from 45 to 75 mph, sufficient to cause downed trees and damaged power infrastructure.
As of Monday morning, Lala continued moving west toward the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Forecasters expect the storm to intensify as it encounters a moister atmosphere. Meanwhile, the broader tropical landscape remains quiet elsewhere, with the Atlantic experiencing a lull in activity. Experts attribute this calm to a strengthening El Niño event that is currently approaching record-breaking levels for the period since 1950.