Tuesday morning on Oʻahu, with thick clouds and intermittent rain still in the air, officials said the island had been spared the worst of Hurricane Lowell overnight.
“We are incredibly grateful this morning that Oʻahu appears to have been spared the worst of Hurricane Lowell,” said Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi in a news release. “I also want to say mahalo to everyone across this island who listened, prepared, and took the warnings seriously. We asked people not to become complacent, and you responded. You stayed informed, you adjusted your plans, and you helped us get through a long night safely.”
Residents and visitors have been bracing for days as Hurricane Lowell neared the Hawaiian Islands as a Category 2 storm, while officials urged people to take precautions. On Kauaʻi and Niʻihau, where the hurricane passed closest around midnight on Tuesday, most residents were without power and multiple roads were closed in the morning because of damages.
Oʻahu officials said Tuesday morning that they were assessing conditions, and people should continue to be alert around flooded roadways, streams, shorelines and downed power lines.
One area on Oʻahu that felt impacts of the hurricane was Ala Moana Regional Park. Officials said more than an inch of sand was deposited across roads, sidewalks, and other parts of the park. On Tuesday, officials closed the park — which typically hosts about 11,000 visitors a day — while crews worked to clear the sand and debris. They also said the beach would need significant cleanup.
"This is one of the busiest and most beloved parks anywhere in Hawaiʻi, and our crews are working hard to get it cleaned up and reopened as quickly and safely as possible," said Blangiardi in a news release sent Tuesday afternoon. "There is a tremendous amount of sand and debris that needs to be removed, and we need to give our crews the space to do that work. We appreciate everyone's patience and cooperation while they get the job done."
Another area impact on Oʻahu was the Waikane area. On Sunday afternoon, flash flooding on the windward side prompted the closure of Kamehameha Highway between Waikane Valley Road and Waiāhole Valley Road. Water levels at the Waiāhole Stream peaked at 16 feet, according to data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Water levels in the stream have since gone down. Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation crews worked to clear debris that washed onto roads and clogged the stream under the Waiāhole Bridge.
The latest info:
- For Oʻahu, the National Weather Service canceled the Tropical Storm Watch on Tuesday morning. However, parts of Oʻahu remain under a Flash Flood Watch and High Surf Advisory and Warning until Tuesday at 6 p.m.
- Hawaiian Electric reported about 21,000 customers on Oʻahu were without power on Tuesday at 6:30 a.m. Most of the outages were on the Leeward side (14,400 customers) and the Windward coast (6,600 customers).
- The Honolulu Board of Water Supply asked that Oʻahu customers without power use water sparingly and only for essential needs while Hawaiian Electric assesses its system.
- A Brown Water Advisory was issued Tuesday around 10:30 a.m. for the entire island. The Hawaii Department of Health urged people to stay out of waters that appear brown, as they may be polluted, for at least 48 hours.
- City officials opened a Hurricane Refuge Area at Nānākuli Elementary, which was used by at least three people.
What's open, closed:
- University of Hawaiʻi campuses and facilities on Oʻahu will reopen Wednesday. Officials said in a Tuesday afternoon release that one possible exception is Leeward Community College’s Waiʻanae Moku Education Center. Power has been restored to the center, and a storm-related road obstruction is expected to be cleared.
- Ala Moana Regional Park was closed until further notice while City crews cleaned up following Hurricane Lowell, which pushed sand and debris across portions of the park. Officials said they hope to open portions of the park on Wednesday.
- Part of Farrington Highway between Princess Kahanu Avenue to Auyong Homestead Road was closed in all directions and is expected to reopen at 3 p.m. after debris is removed.
- The Ala Wai Boat Harbor parking lot was closed in all directions.
- Hawaiʻi Gov. Josh Green closed all state and county offices, Hawaiʻi State Department of Education public schools, the University of Hawaiʻi campuses on Oʻahu, and Hawaiʻi State Judiciary facilities on Oʻahu. Additionally, most private schools, including Maryknoll School, Island Pacific Academy, Hanahauʻoli School and Le Jardin Academy were closed. Green announced that all the state and county facilities, DOE schools and judiciary facilities on Oʻahu will reopen Wednesday.
- City and County of Honolulu offices and non-essential City services were closed Tuesday. This includes the Transit Pass, TheBus/TheHandi-Van Customer Service offices. On Wednesday, TheBus, Skyline and TheHandi-Van will operate on their normal schedules. Officials said riders should be aware that localized road conditions could cause delays.
- The Honolulu Zoo and all six municipal golf courses were closed Tuesday. Officials said all these facilities will reopen on Wednesday.
- All YMCA of Honolulu branches and programs were closed Tuesday.
- All public libraries across the island were closed on Tuesday.
- All Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation classes and field use permits scheduled for Tuesday were canceled, as well as the People’s Open Market. Officials said most park facilities will reopen Wednesday, but some areas may remain closed depending on storm impacts.
- The rock band Journey is set to perform at the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena for its final Honolulu show despite other facility closures, according to a news release from the City and County of Honolulu.
Helping Kauaʻi
The City and County of Honolulu said it is in communication with Kauaʻi County and is prepared to send personnel, equipment, and other resources.
“Our work on Oʻahu is not completely finished, but our attention is also turning to our neighbors on Kauaʻi and Niʻihau,” Blangiardi said in the Tuesday morning news release. “They took the brunt of this storm, and we know there are people waking up this morning to damage and a very different situation than we are experiencing here.”
