Hawaii Braces for Aftermath as Lala Drenches Islands with Record Rain

Hurricane Lala skimmed the Hawaii region on its north side, unleashing extreme rainfall and damaging winds that triggered widespread flooding and more than 110,000 power outages across the islands. The Big Island saw a near-miss from a hurricane center, with peak winds and rainfall setting records (including up to 140 mph gusts on Mauna Kea and 43.54 inches near Hilo). While no official landfall occurred, Lala’s size could sustain hurricane-strength winds for days as it potentially strengthens to Category 2 or 3, complicating rescue and recovery in flooded communities and prompting closures of government offices and schools. The piece also notes a booming El Niño signal, which is expected to influence Pacific weather patterns in the coming months.