Hawaii residents are preparing for Tropical Storm Moke this weekend while utility crews race to restore power in communities still recovering from Hurricane Lala.
Moke comes less than a week after Lala unleashed catastrophic flooding and damaging winds across Hawaii Island, leaving washed-out roads, damaged bridges and widespread electric infrastructure damage. More than 100 homes were swept away, and rainfall topped 43 inches in Laupahoehoe.
Tropical Storm Moke is forecast to approach the islands bringing a back-to-back tropical threat. Unlike Lala, which came close to landfall on the Big Island, AccuWeather meteorologists expect the center to track well south of the Big Island, potentially 150-200 miles offshore, but the storm’s large circulation could still bring significant impacts. Torrential rain, flash flooding and mudslides are expected to be the primary threats, while wind gusts could also bring down trees and cause additional power outages.
Get Your AccuWeather ForecastSome communities could remain without electricity well after Moke arrives.
Hawaiian Electric said vegetation caused the majority of outages during Lala, with fallen trees damaging poles and power lines. Restoration has been especially difficult in rural areas where flooding, debris and damaged roads have limited access.
In North Kohala and Puna, Hawaiian Electric estimates restoration could extend through Aug. 23. Initial assessments in Puna found five broken poles, 56 downed lines and 68 instances of tree-related damage.
The longest recovery is expected in the hard-hit Ka‘ū District, where some customers may not have power restored until Sept. 8. Hurricane Lala caused catastrophic flood and infrastructure damage across the sprawling southern district, including washed-out bridges and blocked roads.
Ka‘ū was among the communities devastated by Lala’s flooding. AccuWeather Storm Chaser Aaron Rigsby reported from Naalehu, where buildings were swept from foundations, enormous boulders were carried through town and communications were cut off.
Moke could complicate those recovery efforts even if its strongest winds remain offshore. The ground remains saturated in parts of the Big Island after Lala, making top-heavy trees more vulnerable to falling and potentially causing new outages or blocking roads crews need to reach damaged infrastructure.
Stay with AccuWeather.com and the AccuWeather app for updates on Moke’s impacts and Hawaii’s recovery.