Multiple warnings, watches in effect as Tropical Storm Lala nears Hawaii

News admin August 14, 2026 0 Comments

Multiple warnings, watches in effect as Tropical Storm Lala nears Hawaii

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Tropical Storm Lala is holding steady in intensity but is forecast to strengthen as it nears the islands.

The overall forecast track remains largely unchanged. Most of the deep convection with the heaviest rain remains confined to the northern portion of the circulation, with little deep convection occurring south of the center.

Lala is expected to become a hurricane as it approaches Hawaii Island on Saturday morning.

The cyclone’s forward motion is forecast to slow somewhat as it approaches and begins to interact with the terrain of Hawaii Island on Saturday.

Watches and Warnings

Hawaii Island is now under a Hurricane Warning. This means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area.

A warning is typically issued 36 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of hurricane-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous. Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Maui County, including the islands of Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kahoolawe.

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Oahu and Kauai County, including the islands of Kauai and Ni’ihau.

A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, in this case within the next 36 to 48 hours.

A Flood Watch has also been issued for the islands of Maui and Hawaii from Friday evening through late Saturday night.

A High Surf Warning is in effect from 6 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Sunday for east-facing shores of Hawaii Island and Maui.

Forecast track and timing

As of 5 a.m, Friday, Tropical Storm Lala’s center was located about 420 miles from Hilo, or 635 miles from Honolulu. Lala is moving toward the west-northwest near 12 miles per hour.

Lala is moving toward the west-northwest near 12 mph (19 km/h). This general motion is expected to continue, taking the core of Lala near the Big Island of Hawaii on Saturday and then south of the smaller islands on Sunday.

Maximum sustained winds remain near 60 mph with higher gusts. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 205 miles north of the center.

Storm impacts

Your HNN First Alert Weather Team has declared Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday as First Alert Weather Days.

Wind

Hurricane conditions are expected on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi on Saturday, with tropical storm conditions expected in Maui County Saturday night. Tropical storm conditions are possible in Oahu and Kauai Counties on Sunday. Wind speeds atop and on the windward sides of slopes and mountains are often up to 30 percent stronger than the near-surface winds indicated in this advisory, and in some elevated locations could be even greater.

Rain

Tropical Storm Lala is expected to produce rainfall totals of 8 to 12 inches across Maui and the Big Island, with maximum totals of 25 inches possible across the Big Island. Rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches with maximum amounts of 8 inches is expected across the remainder of the island chain. This rainfall may produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain.

Storm surge

The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide.

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast, where the surge will be accompanied by large and dangerous waves. Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances.

Surf

For Hawaii Island, dangerously large surf increasing from 8 to 12 feet Friday night to 15 to 20 feet on Saturday. For Maui, dangerously large surf increasing from 7 to 10 feet Friday night to 10 to 15 feet on Saturday. Expect very strong breaking waves and powerful currents. Waves breaking in channel entrances may make navigating the channels dangerous.