Tropical Storm Moke passed a couple hundred miles south of Hawaii’s Big Island over the weekend, bringing heavy rain and gusty winds without making landfall. Forecasters say the storm, which had maximum sustained winds near 50 mph, is expected to gradually weaken into a remnant low as it continues moving west-northwest, away from the islands.
The Big Island saw the brunt of the impact, with forecasters projecting 5 to 10 inches of rain and isolated totals up to 15 inches in higher terrain. Eastern Maui was expected to see 3 to 6 inches. Wind gusts of up to 55 mph were possible in areas of high terrain across the islands, even without a direct hit.
Why Hawaii Felt This One More Than the Track Alone Suggests
Moke arrived only weeks after Hurricane Lala caused significant damage across the islands without making a direct landfall either, meaning emergency management agencies and residents were responding to Moke while parts of the state were still recovering from the previous storm. That back-to-back timing is part of why local coverage treated Moke as more than a routine pass-by system, even though its center stayed well offshore.
Where Things Stand Now
The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency’s guidance focused on flash flooding and high surf rather than wind damage, since a storm passing this far south delivers most of its impact through rainfall bands and ocean swell rather than a direct wind event. With Moke continuing to track away from the islands and weakening, the immediate concern shifts to runoff and flooding from the rain that already fell rather than the storm itself.
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