Tropical Storm Moke is moving toward Hawaii and is expected to pass south of Hawaii Island overnight into the following morning. As of midday on Saturday, the storm was positioned approximately 684 kilometers south of Hilo on the eastern coast of Hawaii Island, moving west-northwest at 19 kilometers per hour. The National Hurricane Center reported maximum sustained winds of about 85 kilometers per hour.
The storm arrives as residents are still recovering from Hurricane Lala, which struck the islands the previous week as a Category 1 storm. Lala caused significant damage, including flooding that forced rivers beyond their banks after dumping more than 1,000 millimeters of rain in certain locations. Power outages affected nearly 130,000 utility customers, and at least one fatality was recorded. While Moke is not expected to deliver a direct hit to the Big Island similar to Lala, the island remains vulnerable to additional impacts.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green and state officials have urged residents to prepare by gathering essential supplies including food, medicine, and other necessities. Green stated that authorities are positioning additional equipment and personnel in advance of the storm and have authorized 100 hotel rooms for residents lacking adequate shelter or services. Although most power has been restored following Lala, some remote areas still experience outages, with full restoration expected later this month.
The National Hurricane Center projects Tropical Storm Moke will deliver between 130 and 250 millimeters of rainfall across southeast and windward areas of the Big Island over the next two days, with some isolated locations potentially receiving up to 380 millimeters. Eastern Maui is expected to receive between 76 and 150 millimeters, while other islands in the chain will experience lighter precipitation. A meteorologist with the Honolulu office of the National Weather Service indicated impacts would likely be less severe than those from Lala, particularly after the storm passes during the night. Governor Green cautioned that additional weather systems are anticipated to affect the islands in the following week.
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