Lala is again a tropical storm, sending drenching rain and winds across the Hawaiian islands

Hurricane Lala weakened to a tropical storm on Sunday, continuing to bring heavy rainfall and strong winds to the Hawaiian islands without making landfall. The Big Island faced hurricane-force gusts and nearly three feet of rain on higher slopes, leading to flooded rivers and mudslide threats. Tropical storm conditions extended westward from Maui to Oahu and Kauai, with forecasters warning that mountain and windward/southern wind speeds can be up to 30% stronger than near-surface winds.

Over 60,000 households lost power, and three hospitals switched to generators. At least one fatality occurred in a car accident in the South Point area, and 19 roofs were lost. A total of about 175 miles of tropical-storm-force winds extended from the storm's center. Lala potentially regained hurricane strength midweek as it moved westward.

By the time it dissipated, some higher-altitude locations on the Big Island could have received up to 35 inches of rain, increasing the risk of landslides in areas with improvised housing. Shelters were opened, events canceled, and ranchers advised to move livestock away from potential collapse-prone structures. Many residents, having recently experienced devastating floods in March, took precautions like stocking up on supplies and preparing for flash flooding and fallen trees, particularly the large and unstable albizia trees.