Hawaii residents are preparing for Tropical Storm Moke, the latest storm to threaten the archipelago just one week after they dealt with the effects of Tropical Storm Lala. According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC), at 11 a.m. local time (21:00 GMT), the center of Moke was located about 684 kilometers south of Hilo, on the eastern coast of the Big Island, moving west-northwest at 19 kilometers per hour.
The storm's maximum sustained winds are around 85 kilometers per hour. Forecasts suggest Moke, like Lala before it, may avoid a direct catastrophic hit on the Big Island, but residents are still advised to be cautious of heavy rain and strong winds.
Lala made landfall last weekend as a Category 1 storm, bringing heavy rain, flooding, and widespread power outages. Some areas on the Big Island recorded rainfall exceeding 1,000 millimeters, causing many rivers to overflow. Strong winds downed trees and power lines, leaving about 130,000 customers without electricity. At least one person died during that storm.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green urged residents to stock up on food, medicine, and other essentials before Moke passes. "We have equipment and personnel positioned, and we have prepared 100 hotel rooms for residents if they lack safe shelter," Green said.
Currently, most areas on the Big Island have had power restored after Lala, but some remote areas remain without electricity. According to the plan, power is expected to be fully restored by September 8.
The National Hurricane Center forecasts Moke will bring rainfall of 130 to 250 millimeters over the next two days across the southeastern and windward areas of the Big Island, with localized amounts up to 380 millimeters. Eastern Maui is expected to receive 76 to 150 millimeters. Other parts of the archipelago will see less rainfall.
Meteorologist Casey Oswant, who works at the Honolulu office of the U.S. National Weather Service, said Moke would pass near the islands and continue moving westward until early Tuesday. "There will still be impacts, especially on the windward and southeastern sides of the Big Island, but they may be more limited compared to Lala," he said.
Governor Green warned that heavy rain may not stop with Moke, as a new low-pressure system is expected to affect Hawaii about a week later. "Everyone should be extremely careful, as we continue to see impacts from large weather systems hitting Hawaii," he said.
