Seasonal· Hawaii (Big Island)· Hawaii
Hurricane Season on the Big Island (2026 Lala and Nolo)
19° 3.6′ N · 155° 34.8′ W · approximate
Central Pacific hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30 - and 2026 proved the Big Island is not immune: Hurricane Lala was the first hurricane to directly impact the island since 1871.
Practical
Coordinate is representative (Naalehu, hardest-hit town). Hurricane Lala, August 15-16, 2026: eyewall grazed the south of the island; 140 mph gust on Mauna Kea; 43.42 inches of rain at Laupahoehoe; deadly flash floods in Naalehu and Waiohinu; six bridges destroyed isolating Pahala; power lines down along 42 miles of the Hamakua coast; about $50 million damage on the island. Hurricane Nolo, late September 2026: flooding in Kau and Ookala, large waves on the south shores, and the collapse of the Holei Sea Arch. The Coast Pilot lists no all-weather harbor or anchorage on the 63-mile southeast coast, Hilo's outer bay is open to the northeast, and Wailoa is too shallow for keelboats (4 ft limit). Plan to be away from Hawaii or hauled out before August; monitor the Central Pacific Hurricane Center.
Best for
Deciding when to be in Hawaii
Season
June 1-Nov 30; Aug-Sep most active