A hurricane warning remains in effect for Hawaii's Big Island as Hurricane Lala is expected to brush Hawaii's Island Saturday.
As of later Saturday morning, the hurricane has top sustained winds of 75 mph after becoming a Category 1 hurricane today just as it approaches Hawaii's Big Island. Hurricane Lala is expected to pass over or just south of Hawaii’s Big Island as it moves east to west.
Forecasters say heavy rain could pose the biggest danger to Hawaii residents this weekend as its center could strike the Big Island's southern shore.
Tropical storm warnings are in place for the rest of Hawaii.
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Hawaii’s topography could also increase the risk of mudslides and flooding.
"Damaging hurricane-force winds are expected on the Big Island of Hawaii later today, with the strongest wind gusts expected in areas of higher terrain," the National Hurricane Center said.
Although hurricanes directly striking Hawaii are rare, they are not unprecedented. The last hurricane to make direct landfall in Hawaii was Category 4 Hurricane Iniki in 1992. Hurricane Dot also struck the island chain directly in 1959.
In 2020, Hurricane Douglas came just 30 miles from making landfall off Oahu's coast. That system prompted hurricane warnings and evacuations.
The last tropical storm to make direct landfall was Tropical Storm Donna in 2018.
