The latest storm news from the US National Weather Service (NWS) says that Pacific Typhoon Lala is strengthening. It is forecast that the latest storm of the 2026 storm season will become a hurricane as it approaches Big Island of Hawaii.
Typhoon Lala is currently having winds of about 80 km/h, even stronger gusts.
NWS's storm bulletin also pointed out that the storm could cause rainfall of up to 635mm in some areas of Big Island.
Governor Josh Green declared a state of emergency to respond to this threat. The declaration of a state of emergency helps release funding, resources and personnel in case of damage.
Tropical storm Lala poses a serious threat to our state, especially Hawaii. We are acting now to ensure available resources in necessary places," he said.
The Governor of Hawaii called on people to protect their homes, prepare essential necessities, review their family's emergency response plans and monitor updated information from reliable official sources. With 210,000 residents, Hawaii is the second most populous island in the archipelago, only after Oahu, where more than 1 million people live.
The path of Typhoon Lala is still uncertain, but the latest storm in the Pacific Ocean is expected to move offshore.
The nearest tropical storm to directly hit the Hawaiian archipelago was in 2018.
The particularly strong El Nino phenomenon this year is making the Pacific equatorial region hotter and increasing the possibility of storm formation. Storm forecasters predict that this year's storm season in the region will be much more intense than the average level. Along with Typhoon Lala, Typhoon Hernan is active in the Pacific basin. However, this storm is unlikely to affect any mainland area.
