For the second consecutive week, Hawaii Island faces the threat of an intensifying storm.
Tropical Storm Moke is advancing toward Hawaii, bringing strong gusts and heavy rain just days after the islands were struck by Hurricane Lala. Residents of Hawaii Island, also known as the Big Island, spent Saturday preparing for the latest storm, which is expected to pass south of the island overnight and into Sunday morning.
As of 11 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time (21:00 GMT), Moke was located approximately 684 kilometres (425 miles) south of Hilo, on the eastern coast of Hawaii Island, moving west-northwest at 19 km/h (12 mph). The National Hurricane Center reported maximum sustained winds of around 85 km/h (50 mph).
Like Lala before it, Moke is forecast to spare the Big Island a direct hit. However, the island is still recovering from Lala, a Category 1 storm that triggered severe flooding and widespread power outages. At least one person died during last weekend's storm.
Lala passed close enough to Hawaii Island to deposit more than 1,000 mm (39 inches) of rain in some locations, causing rivers to overflow their banks. High winds bent palm trees and brought down electrical lines, leaving nearly 130,000 utility customers without power.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green and other state officials have urged residents to restock food, medicine, and other daily essentials ahead of Moke's passage.
"It could certainly have a big impact because we've already been hit hard," Green said in a video statement. "We're pre-positioning all kinds of additional equipment and people. I've also authorised 100 rooms, hotel rooms, for people to go to, in case they don't have enough services or protection, safety."
Green noted that while power had been restored to most of Hawaii Island following Lala, some remote areas were still experiencing outages. Full restoration is expected by September 8.
After passing Hawaii Island overnight, Moke is projected to continue on a westward path near the islands through early Tuesday, according to a meteorologist with the Honolulu office of the US National Weather Service.
"There will still be impacts, especially to the windward and southeast sides of the Big Island, but it will probably be a little bit more limited than what we saw with Lala," the meteorologist said.
The National Hurricane Center projects that Moke will bring roughly 130 mm to 250 mm (5 to 10 inches) of rainfall over the next two days to the southeast and windward sides of the Big Island, with some isolated areas potentially receiving as much as 380 mm (15 inches).
Eastern Maui is expected to receive between 76 mm and 150 mm (3 to 6 inches), with smaller amounts of precipitation forecast across the rest of the island chain.
Governor Green warned that the heavy rain is unlikely to end with Moke.
"Everyone be very careful," he said. "This storm will be followed by another storm front about a week later, and we continue to see the impacts of these major weather fronts that have hit Hawaii."
