Conflict · Big Island warningTropical Storm Lala Nears Hurricane Strength as Big Island Warning Takes EffectAired August 15, 2026 at 10:01 PM UTCWritten September 7, 2026 at 9:22 PM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:00Hawaii's Big Island is under an active0:02hurricane warning as Tropical Storm Lala0:03closes in at 70 mph [music]0:06with 75 mph winds just offshore forecast0:09to strengthen [music] into a category 10:11hurricane later today. Winds have0:12increased from 60 mph in earlier [music]0:15reports to 70 mph now with even stronger0:1875 mph winds measured just offshore0:21driving the warning for the Big Island.0:23Heavy rain, strong winds, and coastal0:25flooding are bearing down on the islands0:27as the center approaches with the0:29greatest impact concentrated on the Big0:31Island. The state has declared a state0:33of emergency and activated about 1800:35members of the Hawaii National Guard.0:37Gusts are already reaching 69 mph on the0:40Big Island and 40 mph in Honolulu.0:42Rainfall is forecast to be sharply0:44uneven about 24 inches in Hilo on the0:47Big Island compared with 4 to 6 inches0:49for Honolulu meaning the Big Island0:51absorbs the heaviest inundation while0:53Oahu still faces wind and coastal0:55flooding. Melissa Eaton and Leslie Lopez0:57are tracking the storm's path and0:59forecast impacts as the warning remains1:01in effect. This account comes from a1:03single report on August 15th [music]1:05with no independent confirmation yet of1:07the exact intensification timeline1:09leaving the central stakes whether Lala1:11reaches hurricane strength before1:12closest approach and how much of that1:14concentrated rain and wind the Big1:16Island takes.1:17Like and follow for more stories that1:19matter.Explore with HeyDexThe shortThe short ↗