Hawaii Governor Josh Green declared a state of emergency as Tropical Storm Lala strengthened in the Pacific and threatened the state with powerful winds, extreme rainfall, flooding and landslides over the weekend. The administrative order made funding, personnel and other resources available in advance of possible damage.
The National Weather Service expected Lala to become a hurricane while approaching Hawaii Island, commonly called the Big Island. At the time covered by the report, sustained winds were around 80 kilometers per hour, with stronger gusts. Forecasters said parts of the island could receive as much as 63.5 centimeters of rain.
Green called the storm a serious threat to Hawaii, especially the Big Island. He urged residents to secure their homes, assemble essential supplies, review household emergency plans and rely on trusted official updates. His declaration was a preparedness measure rather than a statement that widespread damage had already occurred.
The track remained uncertain, and forecasts indicated that Lala was likely to stay offshore. That projection did not remove the danger from rain and wind. A storm does not need to make landfall for its outer circulation to produce hazardous conditions, and the specific warnings cited by the state included flooding and landslides. The supplied evidence did not identify evacuation orders, shelter openings or flight cancellations.
Hawaii Island has about 210,000 residents, making it the state's second most populous island. Oahu, by comparison, is home to more than one million people. The emergency declaration covered a threat described as statewide, while Green's public warning placed particular emphasis on Hawaii Island because of the forecast approach and rainfall risk there.
The report noted that the last tropical storm to strike the Hawaiian archipelago directly was in 2018. Lala's uncertain offshore path meant a direct strike was not yet the expected outcome, despite the discovery note's description of an anticipated landfall. The evidence supports an approaching storm and significant possible impacts, not a confirmed forecast landfall.
Forecasters also expected the regional hurricane season to be much more active than average. The report linked that outlook to an especially strong El Niño, which was warming the equatorial Pacific and increasing the likelihood of cyclones. It separately noted scientists' broader warnings that human-caused climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. The supplied material did not attribute Lala's formation or projected strength to climate change specifically.
The distinction between forecast possibilities and observed conditions is central at this stage of the emergency. Rainfall totals approaching 63.5 centimeters represented a maximum projection for parts of the Big Island, not a measured accumulation. Hurricane status was forecast, not yet reached. And an offshore track remained the expectation, though uncertainty persisted.
Green's order therefore positioned the state to respond before those uncertainties were resolved. Residents faced a clear official message: prepare for severe weather, monitor updated forecasts and treat the threat seriously, even if Lala's center never crosses the islands.
