Aug. 13, 2026Updated Aug. 14, 2026, 7:33 a.m. ET
Editor’s note: Follow the latest updates on the forecast and storm track of Tropical Storm Lala for Friday, Aug. 14.
Tropical Storm Lala is forecast to become a hurricane as it approaches the Big Island of Hawaii on Saturday, August 15, bringing with it as much as two feet of rain, according to the National Hurricane Center.
A hurricane watch in effect for the Big Island will be upgraded later on Aug. 13, and watches and warnings will be extended to the other islands, said Michael Brennan, hurricane center director.
The center’s forecast calls for Lala to become a Category One hurricane with sustained winds of 75 mph and higher gusts overnight on Aug. 14 as it moves toward the island.
“Don’t focus too much on the track of the center,” Brennan said during a 5 p.m. video update. “The hazards and impacts associated with Lala are going to extend far from the center, particularly the winds and heavy rainfall.”
The center of the storm is forecast to pass near or just to the south of the Big Island (Hawaii County), which means the island could experience some of the worst winds on the north side of the storm, the center stated.
Authorities are urging island residents to prepare for potential flooding and high winds in advance. On the island of Oahu, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said in a news release that “this is the time to prepare, not panic,” as the system approached. “We still do not know exactly where this system will track or how strong it will become, but we know enough to take it seriously. I am asking everyone on Oahu to use the next several days wisely.”
“Check your emergency supplies, make sure your family has a plan, secure your property, and stay informed. The earlier we prepare, the better positioned we will be to respond to whatever comes our way,” the mayor said.
A hurricane hunter aircraft flew into Lala on Aug. 13, to give meteorologists a better idea of its intensity and structure.
As of 5 p.m. ET, Lala was centered about 870 miles east-southeast of Honolulu and about 655 miles east-southeast of Hilo on the Big Island. Its forward path has slowed a bit and it was traveling west-northwest at 9 mph.
What do the watches and warnings mean?
Tropical storm force winds are most likely to arrive along the Big Island in the early morning hours on Saturday, Aug. 15, Brennan said. The winds would then spread across Maui later in the day, arriving in Oahu late on Saturday night and into Sunday morning, Brennan said. The margin of error for the center’s forecast track is 50 to 60 miles at 48 hours before landfall.
- A hurricane watch means hurricane-force winds of 74 mph are possible within the forecast area.
- A hurricane warning means hurricane conditions are expected within 36 hours.
- A tropical storm warning means winds of 39 mph or more are expected within 36 hours.
- A tropical storm watch means winds of 39 mph or more are possible within the forecast area.
What are the forecast impacts on Hawaii?
The following impacts are possible through the weekend, the hurricane center warned:
- Portions of the Big Island, especially the windward slopes, could see up to 25 inches of rain.
- Further to the west, the islands are likely to receive between 2 to 4 inches of rain, with isolated amounts up to 8 inches.
- Rapidly rising streams and potential flash flooding from heavy rain are possible.
- A large easterly swell, with surf building along east-facing shores from east to west as Lala approaches, could produce waves of 15 feet or larger into the weekend.
- The prolonged period of big waves and high surf may cause coastal flooding and significant beach erosion.
- As of Aug. 13, the chances of hurricane-force winds on the south side of the Big Island were 10% or less.
Preparations underway in Hawaii
On the Big Island, Hawaii County Civil Defense urged residents to prepare for high surf, flooding rains and damaging winds, making sure they have food, water and fuel as well as signing up for alert messages, according to Big Island News.
In Honolulu, city officials warned that even ahead of Lala’s arrival, Oahu could experience gusty winds and an increased risk of wildfires, according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. They urge residents to remain especially cautious with any activity that could ignite a fire, and to secure loose outdoor items before winds ramp up.
On the island of Kauai, “river and stream crossings, recreational trails, and other outdoor recreation areas may quickly become hazardous,” according to a Kauai County news release. “During severe weather, emergency rescues may not be possible. Do not cross swollen rivers or streams; always check with a lifeguard at any lifeguard station before entering the ocean.”
Hernan forms; Atlantic is active
Hundreds of miles to the east of Lala, Tropical Storm Hernan formed in the eastern Pacific early on the morning of Aug. 13. and was drifting south about 1,475 miles west of the southern tip of Baja California, and expected to weaken by Aug. 14 without affecting land.
In the Atlantic Ocean, the center is monitoring one tropical disturbance that appears to be fizzling out as of Aug. 13, as well as a second system farther to the east that could become a depression or storm later in the week. A third Atlantic system, former Tropical Storm Cristobal, has dissipated, according to the center.
As of Aug. 13, no direct impacts to the mainland United States were expected from any of the systems.
Storm tracker: Map shows forecast path
What’s forecast in the Atlantic?
The hurricane center sees a probability of a tropical storm forming on Thursday, Aug. 13, or Friday, Aug. 14, from a weather disturbance moving westward between the coast of Africa and the Lesser Antilles. The next name up on the hurricane center’s list is Dolly. What happens after that remains highly uncertain.
As the system moves closer to the Lesser Antilles, upper-level winds are likely to be unfavorable for additional development, according to the center’s latest update.
The disturbance is “surrounded by a slug of dry air that’ll be a thorn in its side for much of this week,” said Michael Lowry, a hurricane specialist with WPLG Local 10 in Miami and former NOAA forecaster. “By the time it reaches the eastern Caribbean, a firehose of wind shear should give it a knockout punch, and it’s unlikely it survives the weekend,” Lowry wrote in an update on his Substack blog on Wednesday, Aug. 12.
While it will be good news for many if there aren’t high winds as the storm moves westward toward the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, it could bring welcome rain to drought-stricken areas.
A tropical disturbance further to the east, a few hundred miles south of the Cabo Verde Islands, also is being monitored and could become a tropical depression by the weekend as it moves through the eastern and central Atlantic, the hurricane center said in its 11 p.m. update on Aug. 12.
Hurricane safety tips
With the season heating up in both basins, this is a good time to review hurricane safety tips. According to the weather service, the two biggest hurricane killers are storm surge and inland flooding, so it’s a good idea to “know your evacuation zone, heed evacuation orders, and never drive through flooded roads.” Several storm-related deaths in 2026 have been attributed to vehicles driving over flooded roads.
In addition, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration advises folks to gather an emergency kit that includes at least three days of water (1 gallon per person per day), nonperishable food, medications, flashlights, batteries, cash and a battery-powered or hand-cranked weather radio.
Also, NOAA advises people to have multiple ways to receive warnings and not rely solely on their phones, such as weather radios, emergency alerts, TV, radio and trusted weather apps.
Dinah Voyles Pulver and Doyle Rice are national correspondents for USA TODAY with a focus on weather and climate.