Moke Approaches a Recovering Hawaii

Tropical Storm Moke formed Friday in the Pacific Ocean and advanced toward Hawaii on Saturday, likely bringing more heavy rainfall and strong gusts to the Big Island, where residents are still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Lala, as reported by multiple sources including the Associated Press. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said the storm was located about 470 miles (755 kilometers) southeast of Hilo as of 5 a.m. Saturday, moving west-northwest at 12 mph (19 kph) with maximum sustained winds of around 50 mph (85 kph). An earlier advisory had placed the storm farther southeast at 595 miles (960 kilometers) with winds around 45 mph (75 kph), according to the Manila Bulletin.

Expected Impact on the Big Island

As with Hurricane Lala, the Big Island is expected to bear the brunt of Moke’s rain and winds as it passes south of the island late Saturday into early Sunday, according to meteorologist Casey Oswant of the National Weather Service (NWS) in Honolulu. Moke will then continue its westward path near the islands through early Tuesday, Oswant said. While the storm is expected to have impacts, they will likely be more limited than those from Lala, she noted.

Forecast rainfall for the southeast and windward sides of the Big Island is 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters) with isolated amounts up to 15 inches (38 centimeters), according to Oswant. Across the rest of the island chain, 1 to 2 inches (2 to 5 centimeters) is expected, with parts of east Maui possibly seeing up to 4 inches (10 centimeters).

Aftermath of Hurricane Lala

Hurricane Lala, which strengthened to Category 1 on Saturday with maximum winds of 75 mph (120 kph), battered the islands without making landfall, according to Deutsche Welle. It left the Big Island’s northeast coast recording the heaviest rainfall at 43.54 inches (1.1 meters), according to the weather service. That flooding swept buildings off their foundations, damaged roads and bridges, and left roads covered in mud and rocks, multiple sources reported. One storm-related death was reported.

Authorities reported that utility outages persisted: about 11,630 customers on the Big Island were without power Friday, while approximately 9,000 remained without service Saturday, according to poweroutage.us. Hawaiian Electric expects nearly all affected customers to be restored except in remote and severely damaged areas, as reported by Manila Bulletin.

Hurricane Warning and Emergency Measures

Deutsche Welle reported that a hurricane warning was in effect for the Big Island on Saturday, with tropical storm warnings covering Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Oahu, Kauai, and Niihau. More than 40,000 utility customers across Hawaii were without power, including over 31,000 on the Big Island, according to outage data. A storm surge of 1 to 3 feet (30 to 90 cm) was expected, along with large and dangerous waves, the report said.

Hawaii Governor Josh Green declared a state of emergency and urged residents to shelter in place, saying, “It’s a serious storm,” according to Deutsche Welle. Authorities announced closures of Hilo International Airport and planned closure of Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport. They also opened shelters and advised residents to clear drains and gutters, lift valuables off the ground, and prepare for extended power outages. Governor Green and state officials also held a news conference on Thursday ahead of Moke’s arrival, urging caregivers to restock food, medicine, and other essentials, with Manila Bulletin noting recommendations of up to 14 days of supplies.

Residents and Officials Brace for Another Storm

Tiffany Edwards Hunt, a teacher living in Keaau,, told the Associated Press that “There's definitely tension in the air” given the threat of more rain in communities that floodwaters turned into rivers. With the ground still saturated, the NHC forecast warned that the rainfall from Moke has the potential to cause dangerous rip currents, life-threatening flooding, and mudslides, especially in steep areas.

Perspectives

Hawaii Governor’s Office

The governor’s office declared a state of emergency, believing the storm’s severity justified shelter-in-place orders and the closure of airports, urging residents to take the threat seriously with stockpiling supplies.

National Weather Service Case

NWS meteorologists forecast limited impacts from Moke compared to Lala, focusing on windward and southeast sides with heavy rainfall, but also stressed the risk of flooding and mudslides in saturated ground.

Impact on Utilities

Utility companies like Hawaiian Electric anticipate power restoration for most customers except in remote or severely damaged regions, despite the ongoing outages and storm threats.