Less than a week later, a similar setup to Tropical Storm Lala threatened to unfold with Moke.
First Lala, then Moke.
Lala’s catastrophic flooding followed more than 40 inches of rain in parts of the Big Island — a wallop from a hurricane that never even made landfall in Hawaii. Less than a week later, a similar setup threatened to unfold with Moke.
Fortunately, Moke wasn't nearly as prolific a rainmaker. As it passed well south of the islands, weakening from from a tropical storm to a tropical depression as its circulation became increasingly disorganized. Still, though, bands of heavy rain and gusty winds reached the Big Island and Maui.
Coming on the heels of such a devastating deluge, it didn't take nearly as much additional rain to cause problems. Saturated soils, swollen streams and areas already damaged by Lala were especially vulnerable to additional flooding and landslides.
After Moke, there aren't any new tropical cyclones immediately threatening Hawaii. But tropical season is far from over, and the eastern Pacific had several systems organizing.
We'll keep an eye on this area and where any systems that spin out of it head, well into September.
