Tropical Storm Lala is battering Hawaii's Big Island with rain and wind as it nears the coast, and the National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane warning, the first such alert for the island in 155 years.
Forecast and hazards
Forecasters say higher terrain could receive up to 25 inches of rain, raising the risk of life‑threatening mudslides in remote communities. The storm currently carries sustained winds of 65 mph and is moving west‑northwest at about 13 mph. A tropical storm warning covers Maui County while the Big Island remains under a hurricane warning.
Authorities warn of flooding, storm surge, dangerous surf and rip currents. Winds are expected to spread outward for as much as 220 miles, potentially affecting Oahu and Kauai by Sunday morning.
Canadian implications
The approaching system is being tracked by the Canadian Armed Forces and the Department of National Defence because of its proximity to U.S. Pacific bases where Canadian troops regularly train. A severe storm could strain U.S. emergency resources, prompting requests for allied assistance that might involve Canadian personnel or equipment.
Canadian Coast Guard vessels that patrol the Pacific trade lanes are also monitoring the storm, as high seas could disrupt shipping routes that carry Canadian exports to Asia. In addition, climate scientists in Canada are watching the event as another example of the intensifying storms linked to a warming Pacific, a trend that has direct relevance for coastal communities from British Columbia to the Arctic.
Governor Josh Green described Lala as an enormous storm and urged residents to seek shelter. State Rep. Jeanné Kapela, who travelled to the Big Island, highlighted concerns for people living in improvised housing without sturdy roofs.
Historical records show a Category 3 hurricane struck the island's northeast corner in 1871, and the last landfall on the Big Island occurred in 1992 when Hurricane Iniki devastated Kauai. Researchers note that El Niño conditions, present this year, tend to boost Pacific hurricane activity, a pattern that Canadian climate models are beginning to incorporate.
Local farmers, still recovering from spring floods, fear additional damage to coffee and cattle operations. Emergency managers have opened shelters and cancelled public events as a precaution.
Based on reporting by Global News.