--- Tropical Storm Moke is forecast to pass south of Hawaii starting late Saturday, bringing heavy rain to areas still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Lala. According to the National Hurricane Center, the storm was located approximately 450 miles southeast of the Big Island as of Friday and is expected to pass about 200 miles south of the island on Sunday. While Moke is weaker than the previous hurricane, meteorologists warned that its rainfall could trigger life-threatening flooding and mudslides on land already saturated by recent storms.
The approach of Tropical Storm Moke follows less than a week after Hurricane Lala caused significant damage across the Hawaiian Islands. During that event, the Big Island received over 3.5 feet of rain, leading to flash floods and landslides. Hawaii Governor Josh Green reported that more than 100 homes were lost on the Big Island due to the hurricane, with some residences in the southern town of Naʻalehu buried under as much as 10 feet of mud.
Emergency preparations are underway as recovery efforts for Hurricane Lala continue. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park announced it would close at 5 p.m. Friday, citing a lack of power and communications infrastructure following the previous storm. Major General Stephen Logan of the Hawaii Department of Defense stated that teams have been working to recover human remains swept away from cemeteries; as of Thursday, more than 60 remains had been located. Meanwhile, utility crews are still working to restore electricity to thousands of residents and clear debris from roads.
The concrete day-to-day impact for residents includes potential new power outages, further road closures, and the need for early evacuation from flood-prone zones. Residents will notice the arrival of rainfall late Saturday night on the Big Island, with conditions spreading to other islands through Monday. Those currently without power or internet—including staff and visitors at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park—will face these hazards without standard communication channels. State officials have begun securing hotel rooms and supplies for those expected to be displaced, as ground conditions mean even moderate rain could cause immediate runoff.
The cumulative effect of these back-to-back storms places significant strain on state resources and local infrastructure. Officials are monitoring the Wahiawa Dam, where water levels rose more than 20 feet during the previous week. The precedent of repeated tropical systems within a one-week window complicates recovery for utility workers and emergency responders who are still clearing downed poles and trees. Rainfall is expected to persist across the state through Tuesday, while officials continue to investigate a second possible storm-related death involving an unidentified man in his 60s. ---