NewzThe eye wall was forecast to move over or near the island’s southern end by the evening, lashing its worst winds at volcanic slopes thousands of feet above sea level. Hurricane Lala formed Saturday on a path to make a rare landfall on Hawaii’s Big Island. HONOLULU (AP) — Hurricane Lala formed Saturday on a path to make a rare landfall on Hawaii’s Big Island.The National Hurricane Center said Lala’s maximum sustained winds increased to 75 mph (120 kph), making it a Category 1 hurricane, and the eyewall was forecast to move over or near the island’s southern end by Saturday evening, lashing its worst winds at volcanic slopes thousands of feet above sea level.The Big Island has not experienced a direct hurricane landfall in 155 years.
Whether or not that happens, forecasters said higher elevations on the island dominated by the towering Mauna Kea volcano could get as much as 25 inches (63.5 centimeters) of rain.That could cause life-threatening mudslides in a mountainous area where people live off the grid in improvised housing, and authorities urged them to find safe shelters quickly.Even if the storm remains just shy of a hurricane, the NHC said wind speeds atop mountains and on the windward and leeward slopes “are often up to 30% stronger than the near-surface winds” indicated in its advisory.“This is an enormous storm,” Gov. Tropical storm force winds extended outward for as much as 220 miles (350 km), and were expected to hit the islands of Oahu and Kauai by Sunday morning.Destructive flooding and even wildfires kicked up by the strong winds were possible across the island chain.Mike Caputo, who lives in Keaau, near the east coast of the Big Island, said the main concern is flash flooding and fallen trees, especially albizia, a common tree.“They’re not very sturdy but they grow extremely large,” Caputo, 50, a local fire captain, said. I made sure my trees were trimmed a few days ago.”Tropical storm warnings were issued for the islands of Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau.According to a University of Hawaii atmospheric scientist's research of newspaper accounts, a Category 3 hurricane hit the northeast corner of the Big Island in 1871.
The latest forecast has Lala striking "very close to the southern tip of the Big Island,” said Vanessa Almanza, a weather service meteorologist in Honolulu.Officials and residents braced for Lala regardless. Shelters were opened, events were canceled and ranchers were urged to leave their cattle in pastures, rather than structures that might collapse. “It doesn’t take landfall to create destruction,” Alma…
HONOLULU (AP) — Hurricane Lala formed Saturday on a path to make landfall on Hawaii’s Big Island, the National Hurricane Center said.Lala’s maximum sustained winds increased to 75 mph (120 kph), the hurricane center reported, making it a Category 1 hurricane. It was located about 85 miles (135 kilometers) south-southeast of South Point, Hawaii, on a forecast track that would take its eyewall over or near the island’s southern end later Saturday.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.HONOLULU (AP) — Tropical Storm Lala strengthened as it sent heavy rainfall and 70 mph (113 kph) wind gusts across the Big Island of Hawaii.
Forecasters said it could make landfall later Saturday as a hurricane, throwing its top winds at volcanic slopes thousands of feet above sea level.The National Hurricane Center issued a rare hurricane warning for the Big Island, which hasn't experienced a direct hurricane landfall in 155 years.Forecasters said higher elevations could get as much as 25 inches (63.5 centimeters) of rain. That could cause life-threatening mudslides in a mountainous area where people live off the grid in improvised housing, and authorities urged them to find safe shelters quickly.Even if the storm remains just shy of a hurricane, the NHC said wind speeds atop mountains and on the windward and leeward slopes “are often up to 30% stronger than the near-surface winds” indicated in its advisory.“This is an enormous storm,” Gov. HONOLULU (AP) — Lala strengthens into a Category 1 hurricane as it nears Hawaii’s Big Island.
The National Hurricane Center said Lala’s maximum sustained winds increased to 75 mph (120 kph), making it a Category 1 hurricane, and the eyewall was forecast to move over or near the island’s southern end by Saturday evening, lashing its worst winds at volcanic slopes thousands of feet above sea level. The Big Island has not experienced a direct hurricane landfall in 155 years. Even if the storm remains just shy of a hurricane, the NHC said wind speeds atop mountains and on the windward and leeward slopes “are often up to 30% stronger than the near-surface winds” indicated in its advisory.
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