Tropical Storm Moke nears Hawaii, threatens 15 inches of rain
Why it matters: The Big Island is still recovering from Hurricane Lala, with about 9,000 customers without power and saturated ground raising flood and mudslide risks.
Tropical Storm Moke moved toward Hawaii on Saturday, setting up another round of heavy rain and strong gusts for the Big Island days after Hurricane Lala battered the state. The storm was about 470 miles southeast of Hilo early Saturday and had maximum sustained winds of about 50 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. Forecasters expect Moke to pass south of the Big Island late Saturday into early Sunday, with the heaviest impacts continuing into Monday. Rainfall of 5 to 10 inches is forecast for the island’s southeast and windward areas, with isolated totals up to 15 inches. Officials warned the storm could trigger life-threatening flooding, mudslides and dangerous rip currents, especially in steep areas where soil remains saturated from Lala.