Hawaii braces for potential first direct hit by a hurricane in 34 years

Hawaii braces for potential first direct hit by a hurricane in 34 years By Brandon Drenon and Ben Rich Lead Weather Presenter Hawaii is bracing for what could be its first uninterrupted hurricane strike since 1992, as Category 1 storm Lala churns off the coast. Packing 75 mph (120 km/h) winds, Lala reached hurricane strength on Saturday. In a worst‑case scenario the system could unleash up to 25 inches (63 cm) of rain on the Big Island and generate a 3‑foot storm surge. A hurricane warning is in effect for the Big Island, while Maui County, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau remain under tropical‑storm warnings. Officials have urged residents to prepare for “life‑threatening” conditions, including flash floods and mudslides. The storm is forecast to either make landfall or pass just south of the Big Island’s southern tip on Saturday before moving westward. The last time a hurricane struck the Big Island was 155 years ago, according to the Associated Press. Over the weekend Lala will continue tracking west, possibly weakening to a tropical storm, with its centre expected to slip just south of the other Hawaiian islands. Hawaii Governor Josh Green warned residents to brace for “an unthinkable magnitude of water.” He posted on X: “Damaging winds, dense rain, flash flooding and unsafe surf are imaginable crossed the authorities done the weekend.” Dozens of flights have been cancelled. At Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport—the Big Island’s largest—40 % of flights were grounded, according to flightaware.com. Some 80 % of flights were scrubbed at Hilo International, the island’s other major airfield. The National Weather Service issued its most dire forecasts for the southeastern portion of the Big Island. “Major rainfall flooding whitethorn punctual galore evacuations and rescues,” the NWS said, adding that rivers and tributaries “may rapidly overflow their banks successful aggregate places.” Officials repeatedly urged the public to prepare early. Local community boards on Facebook showed residents filling sandbags to protect homes and asking whether stores would stay open early Saturday. Hawaii County’s Civil Defense Agency said shelters were available across every region of the Big Island. “At this time, you should person completed your storm-ready preparations and focusing connected your Sheltering Plan,” the agency said on X. Iniki, a powerful Category 4 storm that struck Hawaii in 1992, remains the most recent hurricane to hit the state. It caused six deaths and $3 billion in damage after making landfall on Kauai’s southern shore. Hurricane activity in the United States has been relatively quiet in recent years; the last major system was Category 3 Hurricane Milton, which struck Florida in October 2024. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said 2026 could be a low‑frequency year for Atlantic hurricanes, predicting a 55 % chance of a below‑normal season. Last month the world’s oceans recorded their hottest ever July temperatures, according to the EU’s climate‑monitoring service. Those readings were partly driven by emerging El Niño conditions in the Pacific. It was also the second‑warmest July globally on record, with temperatures 1.47 °C above the estimated pre‑industrial average, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service. A graphic accompanying the report outlines the Saffir‑Simpson hurricane scale: Category 1 features sustained winds of 74 mph, capable of minor damage and possible power outages; Category 2 begins at 96 mph, with potential for extended property damage; Category 3 starts at 111 mph, where well‑built homes may suffer major damage; Category 4 commences at 130 mph, likely to cause severe damage to well‑constructed houses; and Category 5 begins at 157 mph, able to destroy