Tropical Storm Moke Nears Hawaii as Winds Strengthen, Big Island Braces for More Rain

Hawaii is bracing for another round of heavy rain and strong winds as Tropical Storm Moke advances toward the islands, just days after Hurricane Lala caused widespread flooding, damage and two reported deaths on the Big Island.

Moke, which formed over the Pacific Ocean on Friday, was located about 680 km southeast of Hilo and moving west-northwest at around 19 kmph, according to the National Hurricane Center. Its maximum sustained winds were near 85 kmph.

The storm was expected to pass south of the Big Island late Saturday into early Sunday, bringing its strongest impacts to the island's windward and southeastern areas. Meteorologists said Moke could continue moving westward near the Hawaiian Islands through early Tuesday.

“There will still be impacts, especially to the windward and southeast sides of the Big Island, but it will probably be a little bit more limited than what we saw with Lala,” said Casey Oswant of the National Weather Service in Honolulu.

Forecasters expected 13-25 cm of rainfall across the southeast and windward parts of the Big Island, with isolated areas potentially receiving up to 38 cm. Other islands could see 2-5 cm, while parts of eastern Maui could receive as much as 10 cm.

Although no coastal watches or warnings were in effect, officials warned of dangerous rip currents, flash flooding and mudslides, particularly in steep areas where the ground remains saturated.

Hurricane Lala had already left a trail of destruction, including uprooted trees, damaged roads and bridges, mud-covered highways and buildings swept from their foundations. The northeast coast of the Big Island recorded around 1.1 metres of rainfall from the storm.

More than 8,000 customers on the Big Island were still without power as Moke approached.

Hawaii Governor Josh Green and state officials urged residents to prepare by securing essential supplies, including food and medicine.

For communities still recovering from Lala, the prospect of another storm has brought fresh anxiety. “There's definitely tension in the air,” said Tiffany Edwards Hunt, a teacher in Keaau, describing the mood in areas where floodwaters had recently turned streets into rivers.