FirstAlerts
Severe WeatherVersion 8

Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Hawaii's Big Island Hit by Lala Amid Conflicting Official Alerts

Outlets report the National Weather Service urging residents to higher ground as rain falls at 3 to 5 inches per hour in the Kau District, but disagree on whether the islands were under a watch or a warning ",

3 reports on this incident · first at Aug 16, 2026, 11:50 a.m. ET

By AI ReporterFirst reported Aug 15, 2026, 8:06 p.m. ETUpdated Aug 19, 2026, 2:25 p.m. ET
Beginning August 15, 2026, according to KCRG, severe weather struck a wide swath of Hawaii — Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Oahu, Kauai, Niihau, the Big Island and its Kau District, and, per Local News 8, FOX 19, WTOC, WISH-TV, FOX 10 Phoenix, Alaska's News Source, Thought Catalog, KCRG, FOX 35 Orlando, FOX Carolina, FOX 13 Seattle and CBS News, the uninhabited northwestern Hawaiian islands. Coverage described the affected jurisdictions as Maui County, including the islands of Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kahoolawe, and Kauai County, including the islands of Kauai and Ni'ihau. Accounts differ on who was issuing the alerts. FOX 19, WTOC, Alaska's News Source and KCRG identified the issuing office as the ; CBS News attributed the warnings to the . Both attributions stand in the record. Outlets also disagree on the level of the alert. A was reported by FOX 35 Orlando, FOX 13 Seattle, FOX 19, WISH-TV, WTOC, Local News 8, FOX 10 Phoenix, Alaska's News Source, CBS News, KCRG and FOX Carolina; Local News 8 reported a . The hazard designation ranges just as widely: a , reported by FOX 35 Orlando, FOX 13 Seattle, Local News 8, FOX 10 Phoenix and CBS News; a , reported by FOX 19, WTOC, Alaska's News Source, Thought Catalog and KCRG; a , reported by WISH-TV and FOX Carolina; and a , reported by Local News 8. On conditions, KCRG, FOX 19, WTOC and Alaska's News Source reported that rain was falling at an extreme rate of 3 to 5 inches per hour, and that flash flooding remained ongoing as additional heavy rain bands were expected over the next several hours in the Kau District of Hawaii Island. Competing accounts: WISH-TV reported the predicted 8 to 12 inches of total rainfall across Maui and the lower elevations of Hawaii's Big Island, and 4 to 6 inches across the island chain, with higher elevations of the Big Island getting as much as 25 inches, and said Hurricane Lala's maximum sustained winds increased to 75 mph, making it a Category 1 hurricane, with its center forecast to move over or near the island's southern end by the evening. CBS News reported tropical storm conditions persisting across portions of the Big Island on Sunday and spreading westward from Maui County to Oahu and then to Kauai County later in the day, with outer bands producing additional rainfall of 1 to 2 inches across windward portions of the Big Island and windward Maui, and maximum storm totals of 30 to 40 inches over the windward Big Island. Local News 8 reported up to 6 inches of additional rain expected in parts of Kauai, where tropical storm warnings were in effect, with Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu and Kahoolawe also under a . FOX 13 Seattle reported nearly 3 feet of rainfall expected along higher windward slopes, and FOX 35 Orlando reported nearly three feet (one meter) of rain forecast for the higher windward slopes. Communities named in the coverage by FOX 19, WTOC, Alaska's News Source and KCRG include Wood Valley, Pahala, Punaluu Beach, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Kawa Flats, Volcano, Naalehu, Glenwood, Hawaiian Ocean View, Mountain View and Waiohinu. KCRG reported that WISH-TV reported that as much as 25 inches of rain on higher elevations of Hawaii's Big Island could cause life-threatening mudslides in a mountainous area where people live off the grid in improvised housing, with destructive flooding and wildfires kicked up by strong winds also possible. FOX 13 Seattle reported that rainfall raises severe threats of mudslides and flooding that could turn local rivers into raging torrents, and that swells generated by Lala continue to cause life-threatening surf and dangerous rip current conditions. FOX 10 Phoenix reported life-threatening flooding and mudslides possible from Tropical Storm Lala, with heavy rainfall and dangerous winds continuing to threaten the islands through the weekend. CBS News reported mudslides were a major concern and that large, dangerous surf also brings the potential for coastal flooding and significant beach erosion. FOX 35 Orlando reported the tropical storm warnings raised the possibility of destructive flooding and even wildfires kicked up by strong winds. Local News 8 reported the warned of life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in steep terrain. On precautions, the urged residents to seek higher ground, according to KCRG, FOX 19, WTOC and Alaska's News Source. CBS News reported that the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency implored people to "please stay indoors and off the roads," and FOX 13 Seattle reported that

Earlier reports

  1. Aug 16, 2026, 2:55 p.m. ET

    Tropical Storm Warning Issued Across Hawaiian Islands

    A tropical storm warning has been issued for Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Oahu, Kauai, and Niihau, according to reports from FOX 35 Orlando and FOX 13 Seattle. Officials are urging all residents to take necessary safety preparations, as reported by FOX 13 Seattle. Accounts differ regarding the storm's current conditions and forecast. FOX 13 Seattle reported that Tropical Storm Lala continues to lash Hawaii with dangerous, hurricane-force wind gusts and torrential rain, with nearly 3 feet of rainfall expected along higher windward slopes. Meanwhile, FOX 35 Orlando reported that nearly three feet (one meter) of rain was forecast for the higher windward slopes, raising the risk of raging rivers and dangerous mudslides on Hawaii's Big Island. Outlets also reported different anticipated impacts. FOX 13 Seattle reported that rainfall in Hawaii raises severe threats of mudslides and flooding that could turn local rivers into raging torrents, and that swells generated by Lala continue to cause life-threatening surf and dangerous rip current conditions. Alternatively, FOX 35 Orlando reported that tropical storm warnings for the Hawaiian islands raised the possibility of destructive flooding and even wildfires kicked up by strong winds.

  2. Aug 16, 2026, 11:50 a.m. ETFirst report

    Tropical Storm Warnings Issued Across Hawaiian Islands

    A developing weather situation has prompted tropical storm warnings across several Hawaiian islands, including Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Oahu, Kauai, and Niihau, FOX 35 Orlando reported.

    According to FOX 35 Orlando, the warnings raised the possibility of destructive flooding and wildfires kicked up by strong winds. Nearly three feet (one meter) of rain was forecast for higher windward slopes, increasing the risk of dangerous mudslides and raging rivers on Hawaii's Big Island.

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Revision history

  1. Version 819 Aug 2026, 18:25current

    Headline now names Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Hawaii's Big Island rather than only the state; dek names the Kau District and flags the watch/warning disagreement. Body restructured into paragraphs, with all four conflicts still reported as sourced ranges naming every side: issuing office (National Weather Service, per FOX 19/WTOC/Alaska's News Source/KCRG, vs. National Hurricane Center, per CBS News), alert level (warning vs. watch), hazard (four designations), conditions (3 to 5 inches per hour leading, with all competing figures printed verbatim) and precautions (higher ground leading, with the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency quote and FOX 13 Seattle's line kept). Added the begins_at attribution to KCRG, the uninhabited northwestern Hawaiian islands with their full source list, the county descriptions, and each outlet's impact statement individually attributed. Sources list unchanged.

  2. Version 717 Aug 2026, 13:00

    Updated report to incorporate issuing office disagreements, specific precautionary guidance, flash flood emergency reports, and rain rates.

  3. Version 617 Aug 2026, 10:41

    Updated story to strictly reflect all sourced alert levels, locations, and conflicting impact reports while adhering to JSON strict formatting rules.

  4. Version 517 Aug 2026, 00:54

    Updated reporting to incorporate coverage and attributed details from FOX 10 Phoenix.

  5. Version 416 Aug 2026, 23:10

    Updated story to integrate rainfall forecasts, area warnings, and National Hurricane Center impact statements reported by Local News 8.

  6. Version 316 Aug 2026, 21:49

    Updated story to incorporate WISH-TV reporting, including the Big Island location, the hurricane warning designation, rainfall totals, and off-grid housing impact details.

  7. Version 216 Aug 2026, 19:24

    Updated to include conflicting reporting from FOX 13 Seattle on storm conditions and impacts, as well as official safety precautions.

  8. Version 116 Aug 2026, 15:53

    First published.

  9. Version 116 Aug 2026, 15:50current

    First published.

  10. Version 116 Aug 2026, 18:55current

    First published.

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