United States Severe Weather Update as Hurricane Lala Brings Flooding to Hawaii
United States severe weather has produced widespread effects this weekend as Hurricane Lala weakened from a Category 1 hurricane to a tropical storm after brushing past Hawaii's Big Island, bringing strong winds, torrential rain, flash flooding risks, power outages and one fatality while separate minor river flooding continues in parts of Indiana and Ohio.
Hurricane Lala Skirts Hawaii
Hurricane Lala weakened from a Category 1 hurricane to a tropical storm after passing south of Hawaii's Big Island. [3] The eye of the storm brushed the southern portion of the Big Island on Saturday without making direct landfall. [4] Peak winds reached 91 mph after the system generated 80 mph winds earlier on Saturday. [5] The closest approach occurred near the South Point area of the Big Island. [3] Tropical storm warnings remain in effect for Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau as the system continues moving westward. [3] A hurricane warning had been issued for the Big Island on Saturday, the first such threat in 155 years. [3] The National Hurricane Center noted that the eye wall was brushing the southern portion of the Big Island at 17:00 local time on Saturday. [5] Hurricane conditions were expected to persist on the Big Island while damaging winds and heavy rain spread westward across the smaller islands on Sunday. [5] The storm is forecast to weaken further as it moves west, with the center passing just below Hawaii's other islands. [5]
Heavy Rain and Flooding Threat
{IMAGE_2}
Hurricane Lala produced up to 35 inches of rain on Big Island windward slopes. [3] Rainfall totals could reach up to 90 cm in some areas of the Big Island according to an early Sunday advisory from the National Hurricane Center. [3] The storm could dump up to 25 inches of rain and produce a 3-foot storm surge. [5] Life-threatening flooding and mudslides were triggered by the heavy rainfall. [3] Major rainfall flooding may prompt many evacuations and rescues, with rivers and tributaries potentially overflowing their banks rapidly. [5] Up to one metre of rain was expected on higher windward slopes, which could turn rivers into turbulent floods and cause life-threatening mudslides. [3] Pounding waves crashed against the shore of the Big Island while wild squalls bent tall palm trees and fierce sideways rain swelled rivers. [3] The most dire forecasts from the National Weather Service apply to areas within the Big Island's south-east. [5] Residents were urged to prepare for an incredible amount of water and to avoid roads during the event. [5]
Impacts on Residents and Infrastructure
More than 85,000 customers lost power across Hawaii as of Saturday evening. [5] More than 60,000 households were without power, and three hospitals switched to generator power. [3] One person died in a car accident near South Point on the Big Island. [3] At least 190 flights were canceled, with 40 percent grounded at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport and 80 percent called off at Hilo International Airport. [5] Multiple roads were blocked by landslides or debris, and crews visited 30 impacted sites on the Big Island. [5] Some residents in Maui were left without water after crews could not continue assessments due to inclement weather and multiple downed trees. [5] Landslides cut off some roads while power lines were ripped down by falling trees. [5] The Wailuku River appeared extremely high, and Hilo Bay turned blood red from sediment and river water. [5] Christine Matsuda in Waimea reported that big gusts every few minutes rattled the whole house. [3] Governor Josh Green stated that many roads have been impacted and warned residents to brace for severe conditions. [5] Public shelters were available in every county on the Big Island. [5]
Ongoing Flood Warnings in Midwest
The National Weather Service continues Flood Warnings for the Wabash River near Bluffton and Linn Grove in Indiana and the Auglaize River near Fort Jennings in Ohio. [1] Minor flooding is forecast for the Wabash River including areas near Linn Grove, Bluffton, Wabash and Logansport. [1] Minor flooding is also forecast for the Auglaize River including areas near Fort Jennings and Defiance. [2] The warnings affect Wells County, Adams County and Wells Counties in Indiana as well as Putnam, Allen and Paulding Counties in Ohio. [1] These separate river conditions continue independently of the Hawaii storm activity.
Historical Context and Outlook
The Big Island has not suffered a direct hurricane landfall in 155 years. [3] Hurricane Iniki was the last hurricane to strike Hawaii in 1992, causing six deaths and $3 billion in damage after making landfall on Kauai. [5] Hurricane season in the United States has been relatively quiet in recent years, with the last major storm being category three Hurricane Milton that hit Florida in October 2024. [5] The westward-moving storm Lala is expected to continue into Sunday morning before moving west and may weaken into a tropical storm. [5] The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has said 2026 might be another low-frequency year for hurricanes in the United States. [5]
What to watch next: Tropical storm warnings remain active across the remaining Hawaiian islands as Lala continues westward, while National Weather Service Flood Warnings stay in effect for the specified rivers in Indiana and Ohio with minor flooding forecast.
