Recovering Hawaii braces for Moke, second tropical threat in a week

Thousands of Hawaii Island customers face prolonged outages as crews repair extensive damage from Hurricane Lala ahead of another round of flooding rain and gusty winds.

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.

Hawaii County Emergency management officials encouraged residents and businesses to complete storm preparations by Saturday night. Storm shelters will began opening on Saturday in Hawaii County.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park closed on Friday ahead of the new storm, expected to bring torrential rainfall and high winds. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) geologists are predicting the next eruptive episode of the Kilauea volcano could start as soon as Saturday but the park might be closed throughout the eruption due to "extreme conditions not suitable for viewing." HVO remains without power since Hurricane Lala, but continuing to monitor volcanic and seismic activity using backup power systems.

"The park is still without power, internet or phone lines as the community, and many park employees, volunteers and partners, recover from the devastating impacts of last weekend’s Hurricane Lala," the National Park Service wrote on Friday.

More 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.

"We remain focused on repairs and restoring power ahead the Tropical Storm Moke approaching the state," Hawaii Electric said. "With the possibility of storm impacts, employees, contractors and mutual assistance workers are already positioned across the islands to begin the power restoration process when it is safe to do so. However, a new storm could delay ongoing restoration efforts or cause new outages."

The longest recovery is expected in the hard-hit Ka‘Å« 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‘Å« 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.

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