What you need to know about Hurricane Lala on the Big Island

Updated at 10:20 a.m. Aug. 15. Information will be regularly updated.

Lala has just become a Category Hurricane 1 as it quickly approaches the Big Island, with outerbands already bringing high winds and heavy rains to parts of the island,

Here is what you need to know on the Big Island.

Road closures

Highway 250 is closed from Hawi Road to HPA in North Kohala due to fallen trees. Local traffic only. Use Highway 270 until further notice.

Airports

The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation is in the process of closing Hilo International Airport and will be closing Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. ITO and KOA will be secured before closing and security will shelter in place at the terminals as Lala continues to travel across Hawai‘i Island.

As of 8 a.m., carriers have advised there are no flights scheduled for the remainder of the day at ITO and KOA has no flights scheduled past 2 p.m. The Transportation Security Administration has closed the security checkpoints and no passengers are at the airports. State personnel will be onsite to monitor terminal and runway conditions and mitigate impacts.

Hawaiʻi Island and Maui County commercial ports have been set in Zulu, which means the port is closed and there are no terminal, facility or vessel operations permitted unless approved by United States Coast Guard Captain of the Port.

HDOT anticipates resuming operations at ITO and KOA Sunday, Aug. 16. If the situation changes, notice will be sent and updates will be provided on https://hidot.hawaii.gov/weather-traffic/ and HDOT’s social media accounts.

Brown water advisory

The Hawaii Department of Health has issued a brown water advisory for the Big Island. After storms or heavy rain, the water may contain higher than normal pollutant levels. The Department recommends staying out of these affected waters for 48 to 72 hours after the rain has stopped and after the beach has received full sunshine.

The Department of Health advises the public to avoid swimming, wading in, or drinking water from any freshwater streams or pond to prevent leptospirosis, a bacterial infection caused by the Leptospira bacteria.

If the water is brown, turn around. For more information and updates, click here.

County water service

Effective immediately and until further notice, an Essential Needs Only Notice has been issued for all Department of Water Supply customers due to the adverse storm conditions, which are causing power outages islandwide.

Essential needs are for drinking, cooking or personal hygiene only.

Please call (808) 961-8790 for emergencies.

Hawaiian Electric

Power outages have occurred on the Big Island. up to 8,500 customers are without power in various areas from North Kohala to Puna Districts.

Hawaiian Electric has more than 500 employees, contractors and support workers positioned throughout three counties to assist with damage assessment and power restoration efforts, which will only begin when conditions are safe for crews to work

If you see a downed power line, assume it is energized and dangerous. Stay at least 30 feet away. Warn others to stay away. For emergency assistance Call 9-1-1 for emergency assistance. Otherwise, to report a downed power line, call the Hawaiian Electric Trouble Line for each county or island, call 1-855-304-9191. 

How to stay informed: 

• Hawaiian Electric website: hawaiianelectric.com.
• X: @HwnElectric; @mauielectric; @hielectriclight.
• Facebook: facebook.com/HawaiianElectric.
• Mobile app: Free download available on The App Store for Apple devices for and Google Play for Android devices. 

You also have the option to sign up to receive emergency outage alerts from Hawaiian Electric.

Public Shelters

Hawaiʻi County opened public shelters at 6 p.m. Friday at these locations:

• Ikuo Hisaoka Gymnasium, 54-382 Kamehameha Park Road, Kapaʻau.
• Waikōloa Elementary School cafeteria, 68-1730 Hoʻoko St., Waikōloa.
• Kahilu Town Hall, 67-1182 Lindsey Road, Waimea
• Honokaʻa Gym, 45-541 Lehua St., Honokaʻa.
• Laupāhoehoe Community Public Charter School band room, 35-2605 Māmalahoa Highway, Laupāhoehoe.
• Waiākea High School gym, 155 W. Kāwili St., Hilo
• Keaʻau Armory, 16-512 Volcano Road, Keaʻau.
• Pāhoa Neighborhood Facility, 15-2910 Kauhale St., Pāhoa.
• Robert N. Herkes Gym, 96-1219 Kamani St., Pāhala.
• Nāʻālehu Elementary School gym, 95-5545 Māmalahoa Highway, Nāʻālehu.
• Kealakehe High School gym, 74-5000 Pūʻohulihuli St., Kailua-Kona.
• Yano Hall, 82-6156 Māmalahoa Highway, Captain Cook.

Residents who evacuate to the shelters should bring their own food, water, sleeping items and any necessary medications. Pets also are welcome.

Bus service

• Hele-On Kako‘o Paratransit Services ended at 8 p.m. Friday.
• All Hele-On bus routes and Paratransit services will be canceled Saturday and Sunday.

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park closures

• The following parts of the park were closed as of 2 p.m. Thursday: Mauna Loa summit, Red Hill and Mauna Loa Road past Kīpukapuaulu. Kīpukapuaulu also remains closed because of hazard trees.
• The following areas were closed at noon Friday: The Welcome Center and the Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association store, Kahuku Unit, all trails and Nāhuku lava tube, tent camping at Nāmakanipaio campgroun, all backcountry sites including the coast and Pepeiao, Chain of Craters Road and the Crater Rim Drive East. Visitors should check the park website for alerts, www.nps.gov/havo.  
• These areas are still open for registered guests only: Kīlauea Military Camp, Volcano House and the A-frame cabins at Nāmakanipaio. Lodging guests must shelter in place.

County closures and facility impacts

• Camping permits are cancelled for Friday and Saturday. 
• All Hawaiʻi County solid waste facilities, including transfer stations, will be closed Saturday.
• All Hawaiʻi County parks will be closed Saturday.

Other closures

• Hilo Public Library, Kailua-Kona Public Library and Thelma Parker Memorial Public and School Library in Waimea are closed Saturday. All Hawaiʻi Island library programs slated for Saturday also are canceled.
• ʻImiloa Astronomy Center is closed.
• Maunakea Visitors Center is closed. Access above the visitors center is restricted to essential personnel.

Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources — out of an abundance of caution as Tropical Storm Lala continues its approach toward the state — on Friday announced the following closures of camping, parks, lands and trails:

Statewide

• All camping and lodging in state parks and on state lands is suspended as of 7 p.m. Friday — and at least through the weekend. Notifications were sent to everyone who received a camping permit.
• Refunds will be credited to the accounts of anyone who misses camping nights because of storm closures.

Hawaiʻi Island

• State parks on Hawaiʻi Island will close at 4 a.m. Saturday.
• Hawaiʻi Island forestry and wildlife lands were closed as of 7 p.m. Friday.

People are advised to avoid forested and coastal areas because of the dangers of rising streams, flash flooding, falling trees, storm surge and high surf. People in remote locations who might face dangerous surf, flooding or bad road conditions are advised to shelter in place.

Use these online resources:

• Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency: https://dod.hawaii.gov/hiema/.
• Emergency Management Agency contacts: https://waihalana.hawaii.gov/ema-contacts/.
• More weather information: https://www.weather.gov/hfo.
• Storm-related park closure updates: Hawaiʻi State Parks web page.

University of Hawai‘i at Hilo and Hawaiʻi Community College

University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and Hawaiʻi Community College on Saturday and Sunday will close all campuses, offices and off-campus locations.

All weekend events, including athletic events, are canceled. Normal operations for both campuses are currently scheduled to resume on Monday, pending post-storm facility evaluations.

But for University of Hawai‘i at Hilo residential students, the on-campus residence halls remain open, and Residence Life staff members are actively present to assist on-campus students through the duration of the storm. The residence halls are relatively empty because students don’t begin moving in until next week.

Event cancellations

The following events sponsored by Hawaiʻi County or hosted at county facilities were canceled:

• Hawaiʻi Island Agrifood Summit in Honokaʻa and Waimea.
• Hulu Street Evacuation Drill in Waikoloa.
• Island Showdown at Hilo Drag Strip. (Cancelled for Saturday, Aug. 15).

Hawaiʻi Island public schools

All public school campuses and offices closed at 5:30 p.m. Friday and will remain closed through Sunday.

All previously scheduled school-related events and activities — including sports events — during the closure period are canceled or postponed.

Hawaiʻi Island public schools and offices are expected to resume normal operations Monday, if conditions allow.

National Weather Service tips for how to stay safe

• Complete all preparations now, time is running out, to protect life an property in accordance with your emergency plan. Ensure you are in a safe location before the onset of strong winds and flooding.
• If heading to a public shelter, become familiar with the shelter rules before arrival, especially if you have special needs or pets. Take essential items with you from your emergency supplies kit.
• Failure to adequately shelter could result in serious injury or loss of life. Remember that 9-1-1 emergency services might not be able to immediately respond if conditions are unsafe. This should be a big factor in your decision-making.
• Keep cellphones well-charged. Cellphone chargers for vehicles can be helpful, but be aware of your risk for deadly carbon monoxide poisoning if your car is left idling in a garage or other poorly ventilated area.
• It is important to remain calm, informed and focused during an emergency. Be patient and helpful with those you encounter.
• If you are a visitor, be sure to know the name of the city or town in which you are staying and county in which it is located.
• Rapidly rising flood waters are deadly. If you are in a flood-prone area, consider moving to higher ground. Never drive through a flooded roadway. Remember, turn around don’t drown!
• If you are in a place vulnerable to high winds, such as near large trees, a manufactured home, upper floors of a high-rise building or on a boat, consider moving to safer shelter before the onset of strong winds or flooding.

State emergency proclamation

Hawai‘i Gov. Josh Green on Thursday signed an emergency proclamation declaring a state of emergency for the state.