Heavy rain, winds possible for Hawaii Island as TS Moke passes

News admin August 23, 2026 0 Comments

Heavy rain, winds possible for Hawaii Island as TS Moke passes

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Moke is now a minimal tropical storm as it begins passing south of the state. But it could still bring heavier rain and gusty winds to parts of Hawaii Island already hard-hit by Hurricane Lala.

The National Hurricane Center said at 11 a.m. Sunday, Moke was centered 320 miles south-southeast of Hilo and was moving to the west at 15 miles per hour.

The tropical storm had maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour with higher gusts. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles from the center.

Moke is forecast to gradually lose strength. It should be a post-tropical remnant low by Tuesday.

The center of the storm is passing south of Hawaii Island, and will continue westward, well south of the smaller main Hawaiian Islands early in the week.

Watches and Warnings

The National Weather Service issued a Flood Watch that will be in effect through Monday afternoon for the island of Hawaii.

A Wind Advisory is also in effect for the usual windier areas of Maui County and Hawaii Island. East-northeast winds of 25 to 35 miles per hour with gusts up to 55 miles per hour are possible.

Threats from Moke

WIND: Gusty winds are likely across the Hawaiian Islands during the next couple of days, especially in areas of high terrain.

Winds are expected to begin gradually weakening Sunday night, with more typical trade winds Tuesday.

RAINFALL: The tropical storm is expected to produce rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches with maximum amounts of 15 inches across the Big Island. Rainfall totals of 3 to 6 inches are expected on eastern Maui. These rainfall amounts may produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides for the windward and southeast Big Island, especially in steep terrain and over areas that were affected recently by Lala.

Across western Maui and the remainder of the islands, moisture drawn northward from Moke may bring up to 1 or 2 inches of rain.