NOAA Says Hawaii Storm Lala Probably Won't Hit Alaska, Like Typhoon Halong Did Last October

Typhoon Lala In Hawaii Not Expected To Threaten Alaska Says Meteorologist  

BACKGROUND FROM THE JOURNAL. TYPHOON HALONG… In October, 2025, the remnants of a tropical storm, Typhoon Halong, swept into Alaska from the western Pacific. It brought catastrophic damage to the villages of western Alaska, the area north of the Aleutians chain, and the region south of Nome. 

It was a dramatically dangerous event; one of the worst disasters in modern memory in Alaska. Although more than 20 communities made disaster declarations, the village of Kipnuk, which was 4 miles in from the Bering Sea, saw water levels over 6 feet above high tide. Kipnuk's floating homes became the symbol of the disaster.  Nine out of every 10 homes were destroyed. 

In the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, water and sewer systems were struck down, boardwalks and paths ruined, and people left to fend for themselves during freezeup, as power went out and their stored winter food was decimated, and many families were evacuated, to Bethel and Anchorage. 

This August of 2026, less than a year later, a tropical storm has swung through the Hawaiian Islands. Hurricane Lala has gained much attention, as the Big Island of Hawaii has never, in current historic times, actually been struck by a genuine hurricane. However, Hawaii as a whole is frequently hit with massive rainfall and flooding of roads and communities. 

On August 15th, the Journal asked Carrie Haisley, Meteorologist in Charge at Sector 7, Alaska Operations enter of the National Weather Service, for information on whether this particular typhoon now in Hawaii might head north to Alaska, as Typhoon Halong did.

She answered...

"We are not anticipating any impacts from Lala in Alaska.  The models are not currently in good agreement about where the storm will be a week from not and beyond.  Here are the possible tracks from just one of our models:

"It is always possible that some remnant moisture from the storm will get picked up by another system and move toward Alaska.  If that happens, it will not be until early September and will be long after the storm has lost its tropical characteristics.  That is much too far out in time for us to nail down any details.  

"Key message: Lala is not a storm we need to worry about impacting Alaska." 

CURRENT FORECAST NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER: