Tropical Storm Moke threatens Hawaii with new floods days after Hurricane Lala

Tropical Storm Moke is advancing across the Pacific Ocean toward Hawaii, threatening to unleash renewed flooding, mudslides, and gusty winds across island communities still struggling to recover from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Lala just a week prior. Reporting by AP News highlights that the new system is poised to strike a region where the ground remains saturated and infrastructure is severely compromised.

Formed in the Pacific, Moke was tracked moving west-northwest. According to Scrippsnews, maximum sustained winds reached roughly forty-five to fifty miles per hour, with tropical-storm-force winds extending outward. Forecasters project that the system will pass south of the Hawaiian islands rather than making a direct landfall, mirroring the trajectory of Lala.

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Yet, the projected impacts remain severe. The Guardian reports that heavy rains are expected to strike the south-east and windward sides of the Big Island hardest. Meteorologists anticipate rainfall totals between five and ten inches, with isolated areas potentially receiving up to fifteen inches. Across the wider island chain, one to two inches of rain is expected, while parts of east Maui could see up to four inches.

The immediate threat is compounded by the immense rainfall delivered by Hurricane Lala. According to USAToday, Lala dumped more than three feet of rain in parts of the Big Island, with the northeast coast recording over forty inches. That deluge swept dozens of homes off their foundations, washed out roadways, and left communities submerged.

Local residents have expressed deep anxiety over the fresh threat. As reported by Yahoo News, thousands of utility customers remained without power ahead of Moke’s arrival. While utility crews worked to restore electricity, certain remote and severely damaged areas face prolonged outages, with some services in Ka'u not expected to be fully restored until early September.

State leadership has moved swiftly to address the compound disaster. According to Al Jazeera, Hawaii Governor Josh Green authorised hotel rooms for displaced residents and urged citizens to restock emergency supplies including food and medicine for up to two weeks.

"We’re pre-positioning all kinds of additional equipment and people. I’ve also authorised 100 rooms, hotel rooms, for people to go to, in case they don’t have enough services or protection, safety."

Josh Green, Hawaii Governor, via Al Jazeera

The atmosphere across the affected region remains tense. Tiffany Edwards Hunt, a teacher living in Keaau on the east side of the Big Island, described the anxiety gripping local residents as they brace for additional rainfall in areas where previous floodwaters turned streets into raging rivers.

Infrastructure damage from Hurricane Lala has left a heavy financial toll on the state. Governor Josh Green noted that preliminary assessments show millions of dollars in damages to public infrastructure and residential properties on the Big Island alone, warning that recovery efforts will require sustained resources and time.

Storm Impact Timeline and Forecast

• Saturday, August 22, 2026: Tropical Storm Moke approaches the islands, bringing initial heavy rain and gusty winds to the Big Island by evening.
• Sunday, August 23, 2026: Rainfall and winds spread across the remainder of the Hawaiian archipelago, with heightened risks of mudslides in steep and saturated terrain.
• Early Next Week: Moke continues its westward path near the islands through Tuesday, with gradual weakening anticipated thereafter.

Forecasters emphasize that while Moke's overall wind impacts may be more limited than those of Hurricane Lala, the risk of life-threatening flash floods and hazardous rip currents along east- and south-facing shores remains critical. Residents are urged to monitor ongoing coverage as emergency services prepare for the incoming weather front.