HONOLULU, 15th August, 2026 (WAM) -- Tropical Storm Lala is expected to strengthen to a hurricane before reaching Hawaii’s Big Island this weekend, forecasters said , bringing heavy rains that can cause destructive flooding and strong winds that can fuel wildfires.
The National Hurricane Centre said Lala should be at hurricane strength by the time it approaches the Big Island Saturday.
If it makes landfall there, it would be the first to hit the island since 1871. Back then, according to a University of Hawaii atmospheric scientist’s research of newspaper accounts, a Category 3 hurricane hit the northeast corner of the island, said Vanessa Almanza, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Honolulu.
“First time since satellites,” Almanza said. “The latest forecast has it very close to the southern tip of the Big Island.”
A hurricane warning was issued for the Big Island, and a tropical storm warning was in effect for Maui County, which includes the islands of Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kahoolawe.