Hurricane Lala Intensifies to Category 3 in Central Pacific
Hurricane Lala has strengthened into a Category 3 storm while moving west-northwest away from Hawaii, prompting a hurricane warning for the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
A storm system that had earlier weakened after brushing past Hawaii has rapidly intensified into a major hurricane in the Central Pacific. The National Hurricane Center in Miami reported late Tuesday that the system, now named Lala, had reached Category 3 status.
At the time of the latest advisory, the hurricane was located approximately 335 miles (535 kilometers) south-southeast of Maro Reef. It was moving west-northwest at a forward speed of 125 mph (205 kph), continuing its path away from the Hawaiian island chain.
Forecasters have designated Lala as the first major hurricane of 2026 in the Central Pacific basin. They expect the storm to maintain hurricane strength over the next several days, with a period of further intensification predicted before a gradual weakening trend begins.
In response to the storm's trajectory, a hurricane warning has been issued for the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. This warning indicates that hurricane conditions are anticipated within approximately 36 hours.
The storm's development comes after it passed near parts of Hawaii on Sunday without making landfall. During that time, it had weakened from hurricane strength to a tropical storm. Cleanup and power restoration efforts are currently underway in parts of the state following the storm's earlier passage.