A storm system bringing severe weather to the Islands has prompted a number of closures across the state.
In advance of the severe weather conditions, Gov. Josh Green issued an emergency proclamation effective through Feb. 11 unless extended “to mobilize state resources and support response efforts.”
“The safety of our residents and visitors is our top priority,” Green said in an announcement Sunday. “We know this storm system could bring conditions that make travel unsafe and threaten property. Please take this time to secure your home, check on loved ones and heed guidance from emergency officials. Hawaiʻi is strongest when we look out for one another – and that starts with being prepared.”
You can find preparation guidelines, as well as links to sign up for alerts from your own county’s emergency management agencies, on the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency website.
Statewide closures include:
· All state offices and the state Department of Education schools across all islands will be closed Monday, Feb. 9, the Governor’s Office notes. Affected state employees will receive administrative leave for the day, but essential personnel and emergency response workers should follow guidance from their supervisors.
· All University of Hawaiʻi campuses will be closed Monday and all in-person and online classes are canceled. Employees critical to health, safety and recovery operations should check with their supervisors regarding reporting requirements, the university says.
· The Hawaiʻi State Legislature will be closed Monday.
· The Judiciary also will close all courthouses and operations on Monday. Filing deadlines have been extended to Tuesday and all hearings will be rescheduled, the governor’s office notes.
· All Division I boys basketball regional first-round games originally scheduled for Monday have been postponed and will be held instead on Tuesday, Feb. 10, according to Hawaiʻi High School Athletic Association. Visit hhsaa.org for more information and for specific site-by-site tip-off times and location updates.
On Oʻahu:
· The City and County of Honolulu will close all non-essential offices and services through at least Monday. Non-essential personnel should not report to work, the city said in an announcement Sunday.
· The Honolulu Zoo closed Sunday in an effort to protect visitors, staff and the animals. In an announcement, the city says it will monitor weather conditions and work with city emergency management officials to determine a reopening date. Updates will be posted to the zoo’s social media.
· All Honolulu municipal golf courses are temporarily closed.
· The city’s park facilities are closed for public use through Feb. 9, including athletic fields, pools, outdoor courts and other outdoor park facilities. According to the Department of Parks and Recreation, all permitted activities and park classes are canceled. All Honolulu Botanical Gardens will also remain closed through Monday. The Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve is regularly closed on Monday and Tuesday, DPR noted.
· Overnight camping at all city campgrounds was suspended Saturday night, with the closure lasting through Wednesday, Feb. 11, the city says.
On Neighbor Islands:
· Hawaiʻi County on Sunday noted that its solid waste facilities and most county park facilities, including all beach parks, were closed. All non-essential county services will be closed Monday.
As of 3 p.m. Sunday, shelters have opened at Waimea Community Center, 65-1260 Kawaihae Road, Waimea; Ikuo Hisaoka Gymnasium, 54-382 Kamehameha Park Road, Kapaʻau; Honokaʻa Sports Complex Gym, 45-541 Lehua St. Honokaʻa; and Papāʻaloa Park Community Center, 35-1994 Government Main Road, Papāʻaloa.
Waipio Valley Road will be closed through 8 a.m. Tuesday, with access only for valley residents and farmers.
· In an update on Sunday, Kauaʻi County Emergency Management Agency noted that emergency refuge areas were on standby and locations will be announced if needed and as they become available. Meanwhile, refuse transfer stations and the Kekaha Landfill may close with little or no advance notice because of weather conditions.
Kūhiō Highway near the Hanalei Bridge may also close with little or no advance notice, particularly if a flash flood warning is issued, the county notes.
· On Maui, Hāna Highway via Haʻikū and Kaupō has been restricted to local access only due to safety concerns from fallen trees and landslides, the county said in an announcement Sunday.
Those who are unsheltered and seeking dry shelter during the story can go to Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Center in Wailuku and must sign in at the operations desk for assistance.
Kepaniwai Heritage Park in ʻĪao Valley also was closed Sunday due to rising waters and rain safety concerns, the announcement noted.
According to a forecast published just after 3 p.m. by the National Weather Service in Honolulu, northeast winds from 25 to 40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph are expected Sunday night, along with showers and isolated thunderstorms.
Monday is expected to be very windy with showers and isolated thunderstorms “windward and mountains.” Locally heavy rainfall is possible. East winds are expected to reach 25 to 40 mph, with gusts up to 60 mph.
As of Sunday afternoon, a high wind warning is in effect for all islands until 6 p.m. Monday and a high surf warning is in effect until 6 a.m. Tuesday for the east-facing shores of Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokai, Maui, Kahoʻolawe and Hawaiʻi Island.
Additionally, the NWS notes that a gale warning is in effect until 6 p.m. Monday for all Hawaiian coastal waters, and a flood watch in in effect for all islands through 6 p.m. Monday.
And on the Big Island, a winter storm warning is in effect for summits above 11,000 feet in elevation through 6 p.m. Monday, with snow accumulations of 10 to 16 inches expected on the summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.
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Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
