300+ mm: Tropical Storm Moke threatens flooding rains in Hawaii
Very heavy rainfall is expected across communities recently hit hard by Hurricane Lala
Tropical Storm Moke may bring additional dangerous weather to Hawaii on Sunday, just days after Hurricane Lala brought extreme rainfall and damaging winds to the island chain.
Forecasters expect significant impacts on the Big Island despite Moke’s core likely tracking far south of the Pacific archipelago.
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Folks across Hawaii continued cleaning up this week after Hurricane Lala brought flash flooding, landslides, and wind damage to the islands last weekend. One community on the Big Island saw more than 1,100 mm of rain from Lala as it swiped the region.
Additional heavy rainfall is expected as Tropical Storm Moke grows organized about 500 km south of Hawaii.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) predicts Moke to remain at tropical storm strength over the next several days as it moves west and tracks south of the Hawaiian Islands.
Numerous hazards are expected as the tropical storm passes through the region.
Very heavy rainfall is the greatest threat, with totals potentially hitting up to 380 mm locally on the Big Island. Additional flash flooding and landslides are likely across areas still recovering from the recent storm.
Eastern Maui may see 75-150+ mm of rain from this system, while western Maui and the remainder of the islands may see 25-50 mm of rainfall.
Regardless of wind and rain impacts, residents and visitors are advised to stay out of the water due to the likelihood of rough surf and rip currents into early next week.