Overview
- Moke formed over the weekend southeast of the Island of Hawaiʻi and is forecast to remain a tropical storm as it passes south of the Big Island while bringing heavy rain, according to the National Hurricane Center.
- Officials warn Moke’s rainfall could produce potentially deadly flash floods and landslides in areas hit by Hurricane Lala, with flood watches and wind advisories active for parts of the islands.
- Hurricane Lala struck just days earlier, delivering nearly a meter of rain in places, destroying more than 100 homes, causing at least one confirmed storm-related death, and leaving ongoing recovery work including road and utility repairs.
- Forecasters expect roughly 127–254 mm of rain on the Big Island with up to about 381 mm on windward slopes, and Hawaiʻi’s steep terrain means repeated downpours can quickly turn into fast runoff, mudflows and slope failure.
- State teams have closed Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, staged shelters and supplies, and are monitoring reservoirs and vulnerable communities as crews recover remains from flooded cemeteries and work to restore power and roads.