Tropical Storm Lala battered the Hawaiian islands with high winds and heavy rain on Sunday, Aug. 15 [2].
The storm caused significant structural damage and utility failures across the archipelago, demonstrating that a storm does not need to make landfall to be destructive.
Lala's eyewall grazed the southern tip of the Big Island [4], delivering intense weather that swept around 100 homes off their foundations [1]. The storm system also triggered widespread power outages and forced the closure of multiple roads as drenching rain flooded key transit routes [2].
While the Big Island bore the brunt of the eyewall's proximity, several other islands remained under high alert. Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Kahoolawe, Oahu, and Kauai were all placed under various watches or warnings as the system moved through the region [2].
Weather officials said that the storm weakened to a tropical storm on Sunday [2]. However, the system remains volatile. Current forecasts indicate that Lala is expected to strengthen into a hurricane by Saturday, Aug. 17 [3].
The lack of a direct landfall did not spare the islands from the storm's power. The grazing effect of the eyewall created a corridor of high-velocity winds and precipitation that impacted coastal communities, particularly those on the southern end of the Big Island [4].
Local authorities continue to assess the full extent of the damage to residential areas and infrastructure. Emergency crews are working to restore power to those affected by the outages and clear debris from closed roadways [2].
“Lala's eyewall grazed the southern tip of the Big Island”
The impact of Tropical Storm Lala highlights the danger of 'grazing' events, where the most intense part of a storm—the eyewall—affects land even without a formal landfall. This phenomenon can lead to severe structural failure and infrastructure collapse, complicating emergency responses across multiple islands simultaneously.
