Tropical Storm Lala nears Hawaii with life-threatening direct hit expected.
Tropical Storm Lala formed Thursday and is moving toward Hawaii, where it could arrive near hurricane strength by early Saturday. The National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane watch for parts of the Big Island.
- 40 mph sustained winds as of Thursday; forecasters expect continued strengthening.
- 5 to 10 inches of rain forecast statewide; up to 20 inches possible on Maui and the Big Island.
- 15-foot-or-larger waves expected along east-facing shores through the weekend.
- Friday brings a separate hazard: dry conditions and rising winds elevate wildfire risk.
Why it matters: Hawaii rarely gets storms that form this close, leaving little time to prepare. David Hitzl, a NOAA Emergency Response Specialist for Kauai, said the situation could go from nothing to a major tropical cyclone in 48 hours.
- The National Weather Service warned flooding impacts could range from 'devastating to catastrophic,' with floodwaters potentially washing out roads and triggering mudslides.
- Ocean temperatures south of Hawaii are running 0.5 to 1.5 degrees Celsius above the 1991–2020 average, leaving open the possibility of rapid intensification.
How 8 sources split on this story
Where they split: Coverage agrees on the threat but differs in emphasis: center outlets stress forecast uncertainty while right-leaning outlets lead with worst-case impact language from official warnings.
Center coverage, 4 sources: The center leads with official NHC guidance and forecast ranges, presenting the storm as one of several simultaneous tropical systems requiring monitoring.
USA Today6hHurricane forecasters track threat to Hawaii. Updates on path, impactsYNYahoo News6hHurricane forecasters track threat to Hawaii. Updates on path, impactsCNCTV News2hTropical Storm Lala forms in the Pacific and hurricane watch is issued for the Big Island of Hawaii
Newsweek2h"Catastrophic" warning issued for Hawaii: Tropical Storm Lala path mapLeft coverage, 3 sources: The left emphasizes scientific uncertainty, the unusual 'Potential Tropical Cyclone' classification, and the compounding risk of fire weather before the storm and flooding after it.
Right coverage, 1 sources: The right foregrounds official 'catastrophic' and 'life-threatening' warning language and the tourism-season population exposure to maximize the sense of immediate danger.
What’s next: Tropical-storm-force winds could reach the Big Island Saturday morning; the system is expected to spread westward across the chain through the weekend.
- Forecasters will watch whether warm, deep ocean water fuels rapid intensification before landfall.
- Will Lala intensify to a Category 1 hurricane — or higher — before reaching the islands?
- How far north will the track shift, and will more populated islands like Oahu face direct impacts?
- Will the pre-storm fire weather on Friday compound overall damage before rain arrives?