Tropical Storm Moke advances towards Hawaii with heavy rain, strong winds

Al Jazeera · 🇶🇦 public Qatar · Aug 22, 2026 · 585 words · By Al Jazeera Staff

headphones Listen to the eFinder podcast briefing

Generate a natural audio summary of this story

Daily briefing

What to know about Tropical Storm Moke advances towards Hawaii with heavy rain, strong winds

Tropical Storm Moke advances towards Hawaii with heavy rain, strong winds For the second week in a row, Hawaii Island, also known as the Big Island, faces threats from an intensifying storm.

Claims checked 15

Techniques found 0

Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center50%

Right50%

2 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Tropical Storm Moke advances towards Hawaii with heavy rain, strong winds For the second week in a row, Hawaii Island, also known as the Big Island, faces threats from an intensifying storm.

Why it matters

Tropical Storm Moke is grinding towards Hawaii, bringing gusts of wind and heavy rain only a week after the islands faced similar conditions from Hurricane Lala.

Common ground

On Saturday, Hawaii residents prepared for the latest storm, which is expected to pass south of Hawaii Island, the largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, overnight and into the following morning.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Follow-up questions

What concrete event or decision sits underneath the headline: Tropical Storm Moke advances towards Hawaii with heavy rain, strong winds?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Lala, a Category 1 storm that spurred heavy flooding and power outages?
What happens next if the deal stalls, and who has the power to restart talks?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/22/tropical-storm-moke-advances-towards-ha…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 15 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 8

schedule Pending 5

verified Verified By Reference 1

help Insufficient Evidence 1

verified

Claim 1: “Lala, a Category 1 storm that spurred heavy flooding and power outages.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia explicitly identifies Hurricane Lala as a storm that hit the Big Island, and web sources confirm it was a Category 1 storm causing flooding and power outages.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 Pacific hurricane season is the current Pacific hurricane season in the Northern Hemisphere. The season officially began on May 15, 2026, and will end on November 30, 2026. For the Central P…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Pacific_hurricane_season

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Hurricane Lala was the first hurricane to directly hit the Big Island since an unnamed hurricane in 1871 and the third-wettest tropical cyclone to affect the U.S. state of Hawaii on record. The ninth …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Lala

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — A Hawaiian hurricane is a tropical cyclone that forms in the Pacific Ocean and affects the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii lies in the central Pacific, where about four or five tropical cyclones appear each …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Hawaii_hurricanes

+ 3 more evidence sources

check_circle

Claim 2: “At least one person died in last weekend’s storm.”

CORROBORATED

Five independent news sources (NY Post, Deutsche Welle, NBC Washington, The Guardian) all report that at least one person died in a car accident during Hurricane Lala.

compare_arrows

cross reference SUPPORTS — At least one person was killed in a storm-related car crash on Hawaii’s Big Island as Hurricane Lala struck late Saturday night.
https://nypost.com/2026/08/16/us-news/hurrican-lala-in-hawai…

compare_arrows

cross reference SUPPORTS — At least one person was killed in a storm-related car crash.
https://nypost.com/2026/08/17/us-news/hawaii-waterfalls-dram…

compare_arrows

cross reference SUPPORTS — Governor Josh Green said at least one person died in a car accident in the Big Island's South Point area
https://www.dw.com/en/us-hurricane-lala-brings-hawaii-heavy-…

+ 2 more evidence sources

check_circle

Claim 3: “It was moving west-northwest at 19km/h (12mph).”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results confirm the storm was moving west-northwest at 12 mph (19 km/h).

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — In 2026, tropical cyclones have been forming in seven major bodies of water, commonly known as tropical cyclone basins. Tropical cyclones will be named by various weather agencies when they attain max…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_cyclones_in_2026

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 1984 Pacific hurricane season featured numerous tropical cyclones, several of which were impactful to land. It was a busy hurricane season with 21 named storms, 13 hurricanes, and 7 major hurrican…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_Pacific_hurricane_season

menu_book

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 4: “Some isolated areas could see as much as 380mm (15 inches).”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 5: “Lala came close enough to Hawaii Island to dump more than 1,000mm (39 inches) of rain in some locations”

CORROBORATED

Web search results confirm rainfall totals reaching 30-40 inches (approx 1,000mm) in some areas of the Big Island, with one source mentioning up to 100 inches in some places over four days.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Hawaii Island, where we had maybe as much as 100 inches in four days in some places,” Giambelluca said. Researchers said the data highlights how extreme weather patterns can simultaneously trigger mul…
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2026/08/21/hurricane-lala-dump…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Green described Lala as an “enormous storm.” Rainfall totals were estimated to reach up to 30 to 40 inches in some areas of the Big Island, according to an update from the National Hurricane Center is…
https://www.sfchronicle.com/weather/article/hawaii-hurricane…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Lala passed close to Hawaiʻi Island at hurricane strength before weakening, producing intense rainfall, flash flooding, mudslides, and destructive winds. Some areas received several feet of rain, whil…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEZScmxfejc

schedule

Claim 6: “The National Hurricane Center projects that Moke will bring roughly 130mm to 250mm (5 to 10 inches) of rainfall over the next two days on the southeast and windward sides of the Big Island.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

help

Claim 7: “I’ve also authorised 100 rooms, hotel rooms, for people to go to”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results or cross-references regarding Governor Josh Green authorizing 100 hotel rooms.

schedule

Claim 8: “Eastern Maui, meanwhile, is likely to receive 76mm to 150mm (3 to 6 inches)”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 9: “Tropical Storm Moke is grinding towards Hawaii”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web sources (AP, AOL, and others) report that Tropical Storm Moke is advancing toward Hawaii.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The name Moke has been used for two tropical cyclones in the Central Pacific Ocean: Tropical Storm Moke (1984) – moved through open waters west of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Tropical Storm Mok…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_storms_named_Moke

menu_book

+ 3 more evidence sources

check_circle

Claim 10: “forcing nearly 130,000 utility customers to lose power.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources report power outages for approximately 130,000 customers, though one source mentions a higher number (180,000), the 130,000 figure is cited by multiple reports.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Although the U.S. National Weather Service downgraded Lala to a tropical storm, its maximum sustained winds were near 70 mph (112 kph), just below the hurricane threshold. The National Hurricane Cente…
https://en.vijesti.me/world-a/globus/822317/Hurricane-Lala-p…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Nearly 130,000 utility customers lost electricity after Hurricane Lala weakened. Flooded roads and damaged homes created dangerous travel conditions for residents. Heavy rain continued to batter parts…
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/glob…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — More than 180,000 utility customers remained without power across Hawaii on the afternoon of August 16th after Hurricane Lala brushed the Big Island before being downgraded to a tropical storm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHlCTwVwl0E

check_circle

Claim 11: “the islands faced similar conditions from Hurricane Lala”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources confirm that Hawaii recently experienced Hurricane Lala, including reports from AOL and other news outlets.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Hurricane Lala strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane, threatening Hawaii's Big Island with a possible historic landfall.• Tropical Storm Lala's map leaves Hawaii on high alert as hurricane touchdown …
https://www.aol.com/articles/hurricane-lala-sparks-rare-weat…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — At least one person has become a victim of Hurricane 'Lala', which struck the Hawaiian Islands over the weekend. The storm caused widespread flooding, landslides, and power outages. According to offic…
https://en.bb.lv/article/world-news/2026/08/18/hurricane-lal…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Hurricane Lala passed over Hawaii's Big Island on Saturday without making landfall and began moving away on Sunday as a tropical storm, while still bringing strong winds and heavy rain to the region.
https://www.dw.com/en/us-hurricane-lala-brings-hawaii-heavy-…

check_circle

Claim 12: “As of 11am Hawaii Standard Time (21:00 GMT), Moke was located about 684 kilometres, or 425 miles, south of Hilo”

CORROBORATED

Two independent web search results specifically confirm the location of Moke as approximately 425 miles (680-684 km) south/southeast of Hilo at 11am HST.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 Pacific hurricane season is the current iteration of the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation over the Pacific Ocean north of the equator and east of the International Date Line (IDL). …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_2026_Pacific_h…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — As of 11am Hawaii Standard Time (21:00 GMT), Moke was located about 684 kilometres, or 425 miles, south of Hilo, a city on the eastern coast of Hawaii Island. It was moving west-northwest at 19km/h (1…
https://1-e8259.azureedge.net/news/2026/8/22/tropical-storm-…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Moke, which formed Friday in the Pacific Ocean, was located about 425 miles (680 kilometers) southeast of Hilo and moving west-northwest at 12 mph (19 kph). Maximum sustained winds were around 50 mph …
https://www.click2houston.com/news/national/2026/08/22/tropi…

+ 1 more evidence source

schedule

Claim 13: “Power is expected to be fully restored by September 8.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 14: “The National Hurricane Center (NHC) in the United States reported that the storm’s maximum sustained winds were about 85km/h (50mph).”

CORROBORATED

Web search results confirm the NHC reported maximum sustained winds of approximately 50 mph (85 kph).

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Tropical cyclones and subtropical cyclones are named by various warning centers to simplify communication between forecasters and the general public regarding forecasts, watches and warnings. The name…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_cyclone_naming

menu_book

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 15: “Moke is projected to continue on a westward path near the islands through early Tuesday”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.