Lala strengthens into a hurricane while moving west away from Hawaii

Late Tuesday, the National Hurricane Center in Miami reported that a storm system moving west away from Hawaii had quickly intensified into a Category 3 hurricane. Initially, the hurricane was positioned approximately 335 miles (535 kilometers) south-southeast of Maro Reef, according to the center. The storm was advancing west-northwest at a speed of 125 mph (205 kph).

The National Hurricane Center designated it as the first major hurricane of 2026 in the Central Pacific. Experts forecasted that the storm would likely persist as a hurricane for several more days, with the potential to further intensify tonight before gradually weakening. A hurricane warning was declared for the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, indicating that hurricane conditions were anticipated within the next 36 hours.

Previously, the storm had made landfall in parts of Hawaii on Sunday, causing damage before weakening from a hurricane to a tropical storm. Efforts were underway to clear debris and restore power to affected areas.