HONOLULU (AP) — Tropical Storm Lala is expected to strengthen to a hurricane before reaching Hawaii’s Big Island this weekend, forecasters said Friday, bringing heavy rains that can cause destructive flooding and strong winds that can fuel wildfires. The National Hurricane Center said Lala should be at hurricane strength by the time it approaches the Big Island early Saturday. If it makes landfall there, it would be the first to do so since 1871. Back then, according to a professor’s research of newspaper accounts, a Category 3 hurricane hit the northeast corner of the island, said Vanessa Almanza, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Honolulu.“First time since satellites,” Almanza said. “The latest forecast has it very close to the southern tip of the Big Island.” A hurricane warning was issued for the Big Island, and a tropical storm warning was in effect for Maui County, which includes the islands of Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kahoolawe.
Officials and residents braced for Lala regardless of whether Hawaii takes a direct hit. “It doesn’t take landfall to create destruction,” Almanza said. “A lot of the impacts are felt outside of the hurricane.” Some areas of the Big Island could see as much as 25 inches (63.5 centimeters) of rain, county officials said. Shelters were opened, and various events were canceled ahead of heavy rain expected later in the day.
