Honolulu Officials Warn of New Tropical Threat After Hurricane Lala

Hawaii residents urged to restock supplies as forecasters track another developing system

HONOLULU, Hawaii — Hawaii officials on Thursday urged residents to prepare for another potential tropical storm as communities on the Big Island continued recovering from Hurricane Lala, which tore roofs from homes, triggered destructive flooding and left thousands of utility customers without electricity last weekend.

A tropical depression moving west and northwest across the central Pacific was becoming more organized and could strengthen into a tropical storm within hours, according to the U.S. Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Forecasters said the system could pass near or south of Hawaii’s Big Island over the weekend or early next week, bringing a renewed risk of flooding, mudslides and dangerous surf.

The developing storm was not expected to follow Hurricane Lala’s exact route, but officials said the threat is heightened because the ground remains saturated after days of extreme rainfall. The system could produce as much as 15 inches of rain on the Big Island, forecasters said.

John Bravender, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Honolulu, said residents should not wait to begin preparations. “Normally we would say pay attention to the forecast just in case,” Bravender said. “Now we’re saying take action now.”

Big Island recovery continues amid power outages and flood damage

Hurricane Lala caused widespread damage across the Big Island, uprooting trees, dumping mud and rocks onto roads and washing dozens of homes from their foundations. The National Weather Service recorded 43.54 inches of rainfall on the island’s northeast coast, while damaged bridges and impassable roads complicated recovery efforts in several communities.

About 13,200 Hawaiian Electric customers on the Big Island remained without power Thursday. The utility said it expected service to return for nearly all affected customers, although restoration in remote areas and places with severe infrastructure damage could take at least two weeks.

For residents in areas hit by floodwaters, the prospect of another storm has intensified anxiety. Tiffany Edwards Hunt, a teacher in Keaau on the Big Island’s east side, said some neighborhoods had been devastated as floodwaters turned streets and low-lying areas into rivers. Some people used surfboards to reach safety, she said.

Hunt said her own home lost power from Saturday through Monday, while nearby communities remained without electricity later in the week. She said residents with limited financial resources were concerned about spending more money on food, supplies and other preparations while still dealing with losses from Lala.

“We’re at the beginning of the hurricane season,” Hunt said. “We know how to pull it all off in our community. It’s just having to mentally and emotionally prepare for it.”

Governor calls for 14 days of emergency supplies

Gov. Josh Green and other state officials used a Thursday news conference in Honolulu to update the public on Lala recovery efforts and encourage households to replenish emergency supplies. Officials advised residents to keep up to 14 days of food, pet food, medication and other necessities on hand and to closely follow updated forecasts.

Green said homes were destroyed during Lala and acknowledged uncertainty over the strength and path of the next system. Still, he said the state would prepare for a potentially serious storm.

The confirmed death toll from Lala included a man in his 60s whose body was found in a pasture Tuesday and 93-year-old May Doi, a former kindergarten teacher who neighbors said was trying to escape floodwaters at her home. Former student ʻĀina Akamu described Doi as a longtime fixture in her Big Island community.

Lala, the first major hurricane of the 2026 Central Pacific hurricane season, had moved well west of the main Hawaiian Islands by Thursday. It was still producing sustained winds of 90 mph as it affected the remote Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Recovery operations on the Big Island and monitoring of the new tropical system remain ongoing.