Hurricane Lala battered Hawaii's Big Island with pounding surf, high winds and torrential rain through the weekend, but the Category 1 storm's eye passed just south of the island's southernmost point without making a direct landfall, sparing the state what forecasters had warned could be its first hurricane strike in 34 years.
The National Hurricane Center tracked Lala's maximum sustained winds at 75 mph as it neared the coast, with gusts on the ground reaching 73 mph and sustained winds around 49 mph reported overnight. One person was killed in a storm-related car crash on the Big Island. More than 100,000 utility customers lost power statewide, the large majority of them on the Big Island, where roughly one in 10 customers were affected.
Rainfall totals climbed past 13 inches in some higher elevations by Saturday night, with forecasters warning that totals could still reach 20 to 25 inches in the wettest spots before the storm moves on. A hurricane warning remained in effect for the Big Island, with tropical storm warnings covering Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau as Lala's outer bands spread west across the island chain into Sunday.
A near-miss with a long history behind it
Hawaii's Big Island has never recorded a direct hurricane landfall in modern history, apart from a Category 3 storm that struck its northeast corner in 1871. The state as a whole has not been hit directly by a hurricane since 1992, when Category 4 Hurricane Iniki slammed into Kauai as the strongest storm on record to make landfall in Hawaii. Lifeguards made 59 rescues Saturday as swimmers and surfers underestimated the surf, and search crews spent part of the day looking for a missing hiker on Oahu's Lulumahu Falls Trail.
Gov. Josh Green signed an emergency proclamation ahead of the storm's approach, activating the state's Major Disaster Fund and authorizing use of the Hawaii National Guard if needed.
Tropical Storm Lala poses a serious threat to our state, particularly Hawaii Island — and we are taking action now to ensure resources are available where they are needed.
Gov. Josh Green
What's next
Forecasters said the greatest remaining risks are flash flooding, mudslides and downed power lines as Lala's rain bands move over Maui and Oahu through Sunday, with the storm expected to weaken as it continues west of the island chain. State officials said crews would begin damage assessments on the Big Island once winds subside enough for road crews to safely deploy.
