Tropical Storm Lala Leaves Hawaii Reeling After Historic Hurricane Threat

Hawaii avoided what could have been a catastrophic hurricane, but residents of the state are still dealing with the fallout of Tropical Storm Lala. The storm served as a powerful reminder that these weather events don’t even have to make landfall to produce widespread, large-scale damage. Lala intensified into a Category 1 hurricane before passing near the Big Island, then weakened to a tropical storm as it continued moving across the island chain.

By Sunday morning, torrential rains, damaging winds, flash flooding, and mudslides had left hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses without power, and many of them damaged. At least one person died in a storm-related vehicle accident, while rescue crews searched areas where flooding swept away homes and forced evacuations.

The storm has become a major news story, not only because of its damage, but also because it served as a powerful reminder of why Hawaii is vulnerable to similar weather events.

Lala Narrowly Missed a Historic Hit

Hawaii hurricanes are quite rare, but as the storm approached the state, forecasters warned that the Big Island faced the threat of a direct hit. The storm strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 75 mph, prompting emergency preparations across the state. Fortunately, the center of the storm ultimately turned to the south, narrowly passing by the Big Island. That shift spared Hawaii from the worst-case scenario that many local and national forecasters feared would become reality. Still, the eyewall of the storm got close enough to deliver hurricane-force wind and rain to parts of the island.

The near miss emphasized one of the most important things about tropical cyclones: The center of the storm doesn’t have to make contact with an area for it to produce significant damage.

Rain Caused Some of the Worst Damage

Rainfall became one of the most destructive features of Tropical Storm Lala. Some areas received nearly three feet of rain, with isolated totals forecast as high as 35 inches. The enormous amount of water quickly overwhelmed roads and waterways, triggering flash flooding and mudslides in vulnerable areas.

First responders launched search and rescue operations when multiple homes were swept away. Floodwaters also trapped vehicles, closed roads, and made it virtually impossible for rescue crews to access certain communities. The flooding illustrated why rainfall can sometimes be more dangerous than a hurricane's wind.

Hundreds of Thousands of People Lost Power

Hurricane Lala, which was later downgraded to a tropical storm, caused widespread power outages across Hawaii. According to officials, more than 100,000 customers were left without electricity on Sunday morning. Later reports indicated that the number was much closer to 200,000. Downed trees, damaged power lines, flooding, and continuing high winds complicated efforts to restore service.

These outages only amplified the problems that many communities were facing. In addition to downed trees and closed roads, some hospitals were forced to operate on generators, while transportation and communications were also disrupted. Officials from Hawaiian Electric warned that repairs in some harder-to-reach rural areas could take much longer because crews first had to contend with flooding, fallen trees, and damaged roads and bridges.

Hawaii Faces Unique Challenges

Hawaii’s geography makes severe storms like Tropical Storm Lala especially problematic. The island’s steep mountains can funnel rainfall into nearby communities at a rate faster than what their infrastructure can handle. Isolated communities often have one primary road that connects them to more populated areas, a fact that makes relief work even more complicated.

Getting supplies to residents of Hawaii is also difficult. Residents of the state face some of the highest cost-of-living rates, largely because even basic items have to be transported in by boat or plane. When large portions of the island suffer storm damage, it becomes even more difficult to get residents the items that they need.

Renewed Attention on Climate Risk

The damage from Tropical Storm Lala has placed renewed attention on the effects of climate change on Hawaii. Climate change does not mean every individual hurricane can be attributed to rising global temperatures. However, warmer ocean water can provide additional energy for tropical systems, while a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, conditions that can contribute to heavier rainfall when storms develop.

The full financial and physical toll of Lala will take time to assess. Roads, homes, electrical systems, and businesses will need to be inspected, while some communities may face lengthy recovery efforts. The process of restoring electricity to some areas may result in even more damage. While Lala was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm, the impact of the storm will still be long-lasting.

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