Tropical Storm Moke was moving towards Hawaii on Saturday and was expected to pass south of Hawaii Island overnight and into the following morning, bringing heavy rain and strong winds. At 11am Hawaii Standard Time, the storm was about 684km (425 miles) south of Hilo and moving west-northwest at 19km/h (12mph), the National Hurricane Center said.
Moke had maximum sustained winds of about 85km/h (50mph). Forecasters said the storm was likely to avoid a direct hit on the Big Island, but warned of significant effects on its windward and southeastern sides.
Rainfall and storm path
The National Hurricane Center forecast 130mm to 250mm (5 to 10 inches) of rain over two days on the Big Island’s windward and southeastern sides. Isolated areas could receive as much as 380mm (15 inches). Eastern Maui was expected to receive 76mm to 150mm (3 to 6 inches), with smaller amounts elsewhere in the island chain.
After passing Hawaii Island, Moke was projected to continue westward near the islands through early Tuesday, according to Casey Oswant, a meteorologist with the Honolulu office of the US National Weather Service. Oswant said the impacts would probably be more limited than those caused by Hurricane Lala, while still affecting exposed parts of the Big Island.
Related coverage: Hawaii prepares as Tropical Storm Lala nears the Big Island.
Hawaii is still recovering from Lala
Moke arrived about a week after Hurricane Lala, a Category 1 storm that caused heavy flooding and power outages. At least one person died during last weekend’s storm, while rainfall exceeded 1,000mm (39 inches) in some locations and caused rivers to burst their banks.
High winds from Lala damaged electrical lines and left nearly 130,000 utility customers without power. Most electricity had been restored on Hawaii Island, but some remote areas remained without service; full restoration was expected by September 8.
Officials urge residents to prepare
Hawaii Governor Josh Green urged residents to restock food, medicine and other daily essentials before Moke’s passage. He said the state was positioning additional equipment and personnel and had authorised 100 hotel rooms for people lacking adequate services or protection.
More context: Whole Village Evacuated as Wildfire Nears in Cairngorms National Park.
Green also warned that another storm front was expected about a week after Moke, saying Hawaii continued to feel the effects of major weather systems.
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