Officials announced yesterday evening that schools on Kaua‘i, O‘ahu and Maui counties will be closed today due to a high wind warning in effect through 6 p.m. Winds picked up yesterday evening as a cold front dropped south toward Kaua‘i.
Officials announced yesterday evening that schools on Kaua‘i, O‘ahu and Maui counties will be closed today due to a high wind warning in effect through 6 p.m.
Winds picked up yesterday evening as a cold front dropped south toward Kaua‘i. According to Robert Ballard, science and operations officer at the National Weather Service Center in Honolulu, some gusts could be as high as 55 mph.
“It would be a good idea to secure any loose objects outside,” he said yesterday afternoon. “This also might be a good time to make sure that if you’re in a location that traditionally loses power, have both batteries and flashlights on hand.”
County officials announced last night that all county offices are expected to open tomorrow as scheduled.
The state granted administrative leave today to all Kaua‘i, O‘ahu and Maui counties employees except civil defense coordinators, disaster response workers and essential workers, according to the Department of Human Resources Development. Impacted employees are advised to contact their civil defense coordinator or departmental personnel officer if they are unsure.
While hurricane force winds are not expected to occur, Ballard said it is always a good idea to have an emergency kit prepared.
“This is the kind of event we see about twice a year around winter time,” said Ballard. “Just be careful.”
Emergency shelter managers are on standby should the need to open a shelter arise, county officials said.
The Kaua‘i Civil Defense Agency has partially activated the Emergency Operation Center and first responders are on standby.
Shelley Paik of KIUC said yesterday afternoon that no major incidents or downed power lines had been reported on the island.
KIUC said in a written statement that it was preparing for an evening of potentially damaging winds and strongly urged people to be extremely cautious in the stormy conditions.
“When we experience high winds, objects coming in contact with overhead lines and electrical equipment can cause power interruptions,” a KIUC news release states. “Sometimes during high winds, our power lines are knocked down. If you see any lines from utility poles on the ground, assume that they are dangerous. Don’t touch them. If someone is touching a line, don’t try to rescue them yourself and risk becoming a victim; get help immediately by calling 911.”
KIUC advises residents to protect appliances and sensitive equipment from power outages and surges that may occur because of weather (wind and lightning) by using surge protectors. During a storm, especially when power outages have occurred, turn off and unplug all unnecessary appliances or equipment. When the power comes back on and is steady, gradually plug in your appliances.
Report outages by calling KIUC at 246-4300 during working hours or at 246-8200 after hours. When reporting an outage, give your name, address and situation. Please note the time the outage started and the cause (i.e. fallen pole, trees on lines, car accident, etc.).
Ballard predicts that by today, conditions will improve across the island and winds will ease as the cold front passes, however, some gusts may still reach up to 50 mph.
For current weather conditions, visit www.weather.gov/hawaii
