As the state picks up the pieces after Hurricane Lala, residents are once again advised to prepare for another storm this weekend.
Tropical Depression Two-C — which is expected to evolve into Tropical Storm Moke by the end of the week — is approaching the state, and is forecasted to dump several more inches of rain onto places already waterlogged after Lala.
National Weather Service meteorologist John Bravender said the storm will pass south of the Islands, and shouldn’t have as large of a wind field as Lala, so the storm shouldn’t be as damaging as Lala was. Nonetheless, it is expected to bring 10-15 inches of rain to the windward and southeast portions of Hawai‘i Island, the place hardest hit by Lala.
Elsewhere in the state, the NWS is forecasting that windward Maui will receive six to 10 inches of rain, and two to four inches will fall on the rest of the islands. The first rains are anticipated to reach the Big Island late Saturday night, and spread to the rest of the state through Sunday into Monday.
Bravender said that, with the ground already saturated following Lala, floods will come on much faster. Furthermore, land has been destabilized already — some houses in Na‘alehu on the Big Island were buried in feet of mud, Green said — which elevates the risk for more landslides.
“Take this storm very seriously,” said Maj. Gen. Stephen Logan, Adjutant General of the State of Hawai‘i Department of Defense. “If you used up some of the supplies that you already had for Hurricane Lala, go back to the store and get everything together, about 14 days of medicine, food, pet food.”
Residents should consider their potential evacuation routes, particularly now that some roads may be blocked or closed following Lala, Green said.
Logan said about 136 National Guard personnel are deploying throughout the state, primarily working on clearing debris from roads. However, he added that some teams and high water vehicles will be stationed near the Wahiawā Reservoir, which came close to overflowing during the Kona Low storms in March.
As of Thursday, Green said, the water level at the Wahiawā Reservoir was at 78 feet; it overflows at 90 feet. Green said the reservoir widens as it gets higher, so each successive foot takes substantially more water.
Green said the state will issue warnings if the reservoir reaches dangerous levels, but added that “we’re not in that circumstance right now.”
Once again, residents are urged to sign up for alerts for updates about the storm as it progresses.
In the meantime, recovery work for Lala continues. Hawaiian Electric announced that “essentially all” customers on Maui and O‘ahu have had power restored, leaving about 13,380 still without power on the Big Island.
Green said HECO is bringing extra personnel and equipment from the Mainland to assist in restoring power.
However, Green added that the state’s power grids are in serious need for upgrades. He said some rural areas will probably need “microgrids” — a small localized power grid that can operate independently of the greater grid — to improve their power resilience, and said he expects “a lot of energy overhaul” in the next decade.
Green said he hopes the Federal Emergency Management Agency will issue a formal disaster declaration by next week, which will allow the state to procure additional federal funds for the recovery effort. He added that, in conversation with FEMA representatives, the scope of Hurricane Lala is generally expected to meet federal thresholds for federal assistance.
In addition, the state Legislature made about $100 million available this year for storm responses, in anticipation of a strong hurricane season this year.
Green also highlighted recovery efforts by the Hawai‘i Foodservice Alliance — which donated thousands of units of water, milk, eggs, diapers, rice and other supplies to Hawai‘i Island — as well as philanthropic donations. Tadashi Yanai, founder of UNIQLO, will donate $3 million, while UNIQLO itself will donate 50,000 items of clothing.
Dell Technologies founder Michael Dell and Salesforce co-founder Marc Benioff will both donate $1 million each, as well, Green said.
Hawai‘i Community Foundation, using its Stronger Hawai‘i fund, has issued more than $700,000 in grants to various organizations providing recovery support, including to Hilo-based nonprofit Vibrant Hawai‘i, which helps to directly connect supplies to people impacted by the storm.
Green said he believes the state is better prepared for this year’s storm season than it might have been five years ago. Nonetheless, he added, Lala’s rainfall was at the high end of what was predicted, and if more storms like it come — the NWS predicted between five and 13 storms in the Eastern and Central Pacific this year — then additional assistance might be necessary.
The next of those storms might already be in sight. Green warned of another tropical depression forming in the Pacific, which he said could approach the state by the beginning of September, although he added that there is currently no way to predict its course or strength.
Currently, the National Hurricane Center reports a depression forming several hundred miles south of the Baja Peninsula, with a 60% chance of developing into a storm within the next week.
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