Hurricane Lowell moves past the state, Tropical Storm Warning dropped for Oʻahu

HONOLULU — The Tropical Storm Warning has been dropped for Oʻahu, as Hurricane Lowell continues its northward path past the Hawaiian Islands.

As of 8 a.m. Tuesday, Hurricane Lowell was approximately 245 miles northwest of Honolulu. The storm was located near latitude 23.7 North and longitude 160.7 West and was moving north at 18 mph.

The Hurricane Warning for Kauaʻi County was also dropped. The National Weather Service has issued a high surf advisory and extended the flash flood watch for Oʻahu to 6 p.m.

Hurricane Lowell made its closest approach to the state at around 12 a.m. on Tuesday, bringing wind gusts of 50 to 80 mph to parts of Kauaʻi and Oʻahu. Although the storm is moving away from the state, residents are urged to remain vigilant, as strong winds, rain, and flooding remain possible throughout the day.

The City has opened a Hurricane Refuge Area at Nānākuli Elementary for residents and visitors in need of shelter during the storm. As of 8 a.m., three individuals were using the space. The site will remain open and available to those in need until the threat of Hurricane Lowell has passed.

Road Closures:
As of 5 a.m., there were only two road closures on Oʻahu:
• A portion of Farrington Highway between Princess Kahanu to Auyong Homestead Road is closed in all directions
• The Ala Wai Boat Harbor parking lot is closed in all directions

Public Schools, State/City Offices, Non-Essential Services Close Tuesday:
Mayor Rick Blangiardi has ordered the closure of all non-essential City and County of Honolulu offices and services for today, Tuesday, September 8.

The closure will allow emergency response and recovery operations to continue, while keeping unnecessary traffic off the roads as first responders and City crews assess conditions across the island.

Additionally, Governor Josh Green has closed state and county offices, Hawaiʻi State Department of Education public schools, Oʻahu and Kauaʻi campuses of the University of Hawaiʻi, and Hawaiʻi State Judiciary facilities on Oʻahu and in Kauaʻi for today.

Department of Transportation Services:
Due to the city closure of nonessential offices, Transit Pass, TheBus/TheHandi-Van Customer Service offices will be closed today. They will resume normal operations tomorrow, Wednesday, September 9.

Major detours are in effect on the Waiʻanae Coast, with no service on Farrington Highway between Lualualei and Māʻili for TheBus Routes C and 40.

TheBus, Skyline, and Handi-Van remain on normal weekday operations. However, riders should expect possible detours and delays due to changing roadway conditions.

Board of Water Supply:
The Board of Water Supply (BWS) is asking all Oʻahu residents to use water sparingly and for priority needs only until further notice. This means using water only for cooking, drinking, and personal hygiene.

Residents, especially those without power, should keep water use to an absolute minimum and should not fill containers with water. All of the BWS’s pumps need electricity to operate. This means that the BWS will have limited ability to pump water out of its wells and up to reservoirs during a power outage. Until power is restored, the water left in the reservoirs will be all that is available, so residents must use water sparingly.

Customers without water can call the BWS at (808) 748-5000, ext. 1, and a roving water wagon will be sent to the affected area.

After power is restored, the BWS asks residents to continue conserving water, as time is needed for the electrically powered pumps to replenish reservoirs to normal levels.

Department of Parks and Recreation:
Due to the inclement weather conditions, all Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) classes and field use permits scheduled for today have been canceled, as well as the People’s Open Market.

The department will be focusing on clearing tree debris from strong tropical-storm-force winds and ensuring park facilities are safe to reopen on Wednesday.

Residents and visitors should continue monitoring official City and National Weather Service information and sign up for emergency notifications through HNL Alert at HNLAlert.gov.

To receive urgent alerts through text message, text HNLALERT to 888-777.

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