Hawaii is bracing for what could be its first direct hit from a hurricane since 1992, as Category One Storm Lala churns off its coast, according to the BBC. The storm, which gained hurricane strength on Saturday, is packing 75mph (120km/h) winds.

Storm Forecast and Warnings

In a worst-case scenario, Lala could dump up to 25in (63cm) of rain on Big Island and produce a 3ft storm surge, while a hurricane warning is in effect for Big Island, while Maui County, Oahu, Kauai, and Niihau are under tropical storm warnings.

Officials have told residents to prepare for “life-threatening” conditions, including floods and mudslides — the storm is expected to either make landfall or pass close to the southern tip of Big Island on Saturday before continuing west.

Historical Context and Governor’s Warning

The last time a hurricane made landfall on Hawaii’s Big Island was 155 years ago, according to the Associated Press. Hawaii Governor Josh Green warned residents to brace for “an incredible amount of water” and posted on X: “Damaging winds, heavy rain, flash flooding and dangerous surf are possible across the state through the weekend.”

Over the weekend, Lala will continue moving westwards and may weaken into a tropical storm, with the center passing just below Hawaii’s other islands. Dozens of flights have been canceled in preparation for the storm, with 40% of flights grounded at Ellison Onizuka Kona International and 80% at Hilo International, according to flightaware.com.

Preparation and Evacuation Measures

The more dire forecasts from the National Weather Service (NWS) have been issued for areas within Big Island’s south-east; the NWS said, “Major rainfall flooding may prompt many evacuations and rescues,” adding that rivers and tributaries “may rapidly overflow their banks in multiple places.”

Residents were repeatedly urged by officials to prepare for the storm early. Local message boards on Facebook show residents filling bags with sand to protect their homes and inquiring whether stores remained open in the early hours on Saturday. Hawaii County’s Civil Defense Agency said public shelters were available in every county on Big Island and advised residents: “At this time, you should have completed your storm-ready preparations and focusing on your Sheltering Plan.”

Iniki, a powerful Category Four storm, was the last hurricane to strike Hawaii back in 1992 — it caused six deaths and $3bn in damage after making landfall on the southern coast of Kauai. Hurricane season in the US has been relatively quiet the last few years, with the last major storm being Category Three Hurricane Milton, which hit Florida in October 2024.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has said that 2026 might be another low-frequency year for hurricanes in the US, predicting a 55% chance of a below-normal season. Last month, the world’s oceans hit their hottest ever recorded temperatures for July, according to the EU’s climate monitoring service, though the record temperatures were partly fueled by developing El Niño conditions in the Pacific. It was also the joint second-warmest July globally on record, with temperatures 1.47C above the estimated pre-industrial average, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service.