Hawaii's Hurricane Hiccup: A Stormy Reminder of the Islands' Vulnerability The recent brush with Hurricane Lala on the Big Island has brought home a harsh reality for residents and tourists alike.
The storm's Category 1 designation belies the severity of the damage it wrought, including two homes swept away in Naalehu, widespread power outages affecting over 124,000 homes, and reports of downed trees and power lines across the island.
National Weather Service forecaster Joseph Clark was correct to downgrade expectations for a landfall. However, his warning about the storm's destructive potential proved prescient.