Timeline: When Hawaii will start feeling Hurricane Lala's impacts
Here’s a timeline from the FOX Forecast Center of when and what kind of impacts Hurricane Lala is expected to bring to your area.
Hurricane Lala strengthens, barrels toward Hawaii with rare near-landfall hours away
The latest update from the National Hurricane Center is in and Lala has officially become a Category 1 hurricane. FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross has the latest exclusive analysis.
THE TAKEAWAY
- Lala strengthens into a hurricane as it barrels toward Hawaii.
- The Big Island is expected to take a hard hit with extreme rain and intense winds.
- Heaviest rain to reach Honolulu and Lihue late Saturday, moisture tail could extend rain through Monday.
HONOLULU — Hurricane Lala is closing in on Hawaii after strengthening into a Category 1 hurricane as it passes south of the islands this weekend, but will still deliver intense wind, rain and mudslides, as the state braces for its strongest storm in recent years.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TROPICAL DEPRESSION, TROPICAL STORM AND A HURRICANE?
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A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the Big Island, while a Tropical Storm Warning now covers Maui County, including the islands of Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kahoolawe, as well as Oahu and Kauai County, including the islands of Kauai and Niihau.
Here’s a timeline from the FOX Forecast Center of when and what kind of impacts Hurricane Lala is expected to bring to your area.
WHAT HURRICANE AND TROPICAL STORM WATCHES AND WARNINGS MEAN
(FOX Weather)
Saturday
Conditions are ramping up Saturday as the core of Lala makes a close pass to the Big Island.
Lala strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane Saturday afternoon, with maximum sustained winds around 75 mph.
WHAT IS A CATEGORY 1 HURRICANE?
The National Hurricane Center is forecasting a landfall on the Big Island, and FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross warned that the islands will still feel Lala's most intense impacts.
By midday, the heaviest rain will impact the Big Island before spreading north into Maui and eventually Oahu.
Waves start to pick up as a storm forms.
(Robert Ray / FOX Weather)
Intense rainfall near the center of Lala, combined with the mountainous terrain along the windward sides of the Big Island and Maui, could lead to flash flooding and mudslides.
Wind gusts could reach 60 to 70 mph or higher, with sustained winds of 35 to 55 mph. Sustained winds up to 75 mph, and even higher at elevation, are possible depending on how close Lala tracks to the Big Island when it makes its pass Saturday.
Power outages will also be possible, along with strong surf, coastal flooding and storm surge of 1 to 3 feet.
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Huge waves will crash against the east and south coast of the Big Island, pushing water into low-lying areas. Wave heights could be in excess of 30 feet near the storm's center.
Saturday night
The core of Lala will begin moving southwest of the island chain, with maximum sustained winds remaining around 75 mph.
(FOX Weather)
Wind gusts could reach 40 to 50 mph across much of the state through the night.
The heaviest rain will shift into portions of the central and northern islands, including Honolulu and Lihue, increasing the threat of flash flooding. Some areas could receive 5 to 8 inches of rain.
As the core of the system moves west, coastal waves will remain elevated at around 6 to 9 feet.
Sunday
Conditions will gradually improve Sunday afternoon, although gusty winds and a few showers could linger into the middle of the afternoon.
Honolulu ahead of the storm, shot from Wa’ahila Ridge on Aug. 13, 2026.
(FOX Weather)
Storm surge will also start to decrease as Lala moves farther west of Hawaii.
By midday Sunday, Lala is expected to weaken slightly, but maintain maximum sustained winds around 70 mph as it races westward, taking the worst of the rain and wind threat with it.
HOW ARE HURRICANES RATED? THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE EXPLAINED
While calmer conditions are expected to return to the Big Island and Maui through the day, a feeder band will be over or near the islands after the center of the storm passes late Sunday.
This could cause heavy rain to linger into Monday.
Stay with FOX Weather for the latest updates on Hurricane Lala and its impact on the Hawaiian islands.