Lala becomes Cat. 1 hurricane as it bears down on Hawaii's Big Island

Updated on: August 15, 2026 / 3:24 PM EDT / CBS News Hurricane Lala is now a Category 1 storm as it continues to strengthen on its approach to Hawaii's Big Island, where it will bring heavy rain, flooding and life-threatening surf and rip currents to the area, forecasters say. The weather system strengthened into a hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph at 9 a.m. local time. A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when its maximum sustained winds reach 74 mph. Lala's core will pass the Big Island on Saturday, then reach south of the smaller islands on Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said Saturday, though it warned the storm may have some "erratic" movements. Lala is expected to weaken as it interacts with the Big Island.

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