HONOLULU — The City and County of Honolulu continues to monitor a large and unpredictable storm system impacting Oʻahu, with pockets of heavy rain and strong winds expected to persist through today and into the weekend.
City emergency officials are urging residents to remain cautious as the weather system continues to move across the island. While conditions may fluctuate throughout the day, forecasters warn that periods of intense rainfall could still lead to localized flooding, hazardous driving conditions, and potential impacts to infrastructure.
“Our island has already seen how unpredictable this storm system can be,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “Even as conditions shift from hour to hour, we are still expecting periods of heavy rain and strong winds through today and into tomorrow. We are asking everyone to remain vigilant, limit unnecessary travel, and continue following updates from emergency officials.”
Out of an abundance of caution, non-essential City and County of Honolulu offices and services remain closed through Friday. Disaster response and support personnel continue to report for duty as scheduled to support emergency operations and monitor conditions across the island.
Several City facilities also remain closed to protect public safety and allow staff to assess storm impacts. These include City park facilities across Oʻahu, the Honolulu Zoo, Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, all municipal golf courses, botanical gardens, and community gardens. Permitted park activities and classes remain canceled until further notice.
Seven emergency shelters opened Thursday evening for residents and visitors needing a safe place during the storm. The shelters are operated in partnership between the City and the American Red Cross, with support from houseless outreach providers coordinated through Partners In Care.
Residents should continue preparing for possible transportation and utility disruptions, including flooded roadways, traffic signal outages, and potential delays or interruptions to transit services if wind conditions become unsafe.
City officials encourage the public to take the following precautions while the severe weather persists:
- Limit travel and avoid driving through flooded roadways.
- Secure outdoor items that could become dangerous in high winds.
- Prepare for possible power outages by keeping flashlights, batteries, and mobile devices charged.
- Conserve water and limit use to essential needs.
- Stay away from shorelines, streams, and areas prone to flooding.
Emergency Preparedness Resources
- City and County of Honolulu DEM – www.honolulu.gov/dem
- National Weather Service Honolulu – www.weather.gov/hfo
- Ocean Safety Division beach conditions – www.oceansafety.honolulu.gov
Officials encourage residents to remain attentive to weather updates and emergency notifications through HNL Alert. Create a profile and customize your alerts at www.hnlalert.gov.
Residents who want to receive only urgent alerts can also text HNLALERT to 888-777 to quickly subscribe and receive the most important emergency notifications by text message.
—PAU—
