Environment & Climate

Tropical Storm Moke passes south of Hawaii, bringing fresh flood threats after Hurricane Lala

Forecasters warn of up to 15 inches of rain on the Big Island as communities struggle with lingering outages and damage from the previous storm.

Updated Aug 24, 2026 · 02:15 UTC6 reports

The short version

Tropical Storm Moke tracked south of Hawaii, bringing heavy rain and gusty winds primarily to the Big Island and eastern Maui.
The system threatens renewed flash flooding and mudslides across terrain already saturated by Hurricane Lala.
Thousands of residents remain without electricity from the earlier storm, prompting officials to open shelters and recommend emergency restocking.
Forecasts project Moke will maintain tropical storm intensity near the islands before weakening early in the week.

The National Hurricane Center forecast Tropical Storm Moke to track south of the Hawaiian islands, bringing 5 to 10 inches of rain to the Big Island with isolated amounts reaching up to 15 inches.[Associated Press · Associated Press · ABC News · NPR]
Hurricane Lala caused widespread damage across Hawaii days earlier, including uprooted trees, damaged bridges, severed foundation structures, and peak rainfall of 43.54 inches on the Big Island's northeast coast.[Associated Press · Associated Press · Associated Press]
Authorities reported up to two fatalities linked to flooding from Hurricane Lala on the Big Island.[Associated Press · Associated Press · NPR]
More than 6,500 electricity customers remained without power on the Big Island ahead of Moke's passage as repair crews, including reinforcements from Southern California Edison, worked on restorations.[Associated Press · Associated Press]
Hawaii Governor Josh Green requested a federal disaster declaration from the White House following the destruction caused by Lala.[NPR]
Hawaii County Mayor Kimo Alameda urged residents to remain off roadways, shelter in place, and use county-opened emergency shelters if necessary.[Associated Press · NPR]

The full timeline for complete electrical restoration remains unconfirmed, with earlier utility targets aiming for quick recovery while later reports projected repairs could extend to September 8.[Associated Press · NPR]
Localized rain totals and flash flood severity across specific mountain watersheds depend on Moke's precise distance as it bypasses the southern coast.[Associated Press · Associated Press · ABC News]