The latest storm news on August 16th said that Typhoon Lala with winds of 120 km/h, has strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane since August 15th.
According to US storm forecasters, in the worst-case scenario, the latest storm of the 2026 storm season could pour down on the Big Island of Hawaii with rainfall up to 630mm and create waves 90cm high.
Storm warnings have been issued for Big Island, while the districts of Maui, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau are in a tropical storm warning status.
Hawaii authorities are asking people to prepare for dangerous weather conditions, including floods and landslides.
The storm is expected to make landfall or pass near the southern tip of Big Island before continuing to move westward. The last time a typhoon made landfall on Big Island of Hawaii was 155 years ago.
It is forecasted that throughout the weekend, Lala will continue to move westward and may weaken into a tropical storm, with the eye of the storm passing right below other islands of Hawaii.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green warned people to prepare to respond to dangerous weather phenomena. "Strong winds causing damage, heavy rain, flash floods and dangerous high waves can occur throughout the state throughout the weekend" - he posted on social network X.
Due to the impact of Typhoon Lala, dozens of flights were canceled. At Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport - the largest airport on Big Island - 40% of flights were delayed, according to flightaware.com. About 80% of flights were canceled at another main airport - Hilo International Airport.
More serious forecasts from the US National Weather Service (NWS) have been made for areas southeast of Big Island. "Floods caused by heavy rain could lead to more evacuations and rescues," NWS said, while noting that water in rivers and tributaries could quickly overflow in many places.
Nearly 37,000 customers in Hawaii lost power as of the afternoon of August 15.
Iniki, a Category 4 hurricane, was the most recent storm to hit Hawaii in 1992. This storm killed 6 people and caused 3 billion USD in damage after making landfall on the south coast of Kauai.
The 2026 hurricane season in the US has been relatively quiet in recent years, with the nearest major hurricane being Category 3 hurricane Milton, which made landfall in Florida in October 2024.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said that 2026 may be a year with low storm frequency in the US, predicting a 55% chance that the storm season will be below normal.
Last month, the oceans around the world recorded the highest temperature in July ever, according to the EU's climate monitoring service. This record temperature is partly due to El Nino developing in the Pacific.
According to the Copernicus Climate Change Agency, this is also the 2nd hottest July globally in history, with temperatures 1.47 degrees Celsius higher than the pre-industrial average estimate.
