Hawaiian Electric monitoring stormy weather forecast, urges customers to review emergency plans

With the forecast of possible stormy weather this weekend and its potential impact to Hawaiʻi, Hawaiian Electric advises its customers to review their emergency preparedness plans and be ready for possible outages.

Strong winds and flooding can damage utility equipment or blow trees and debris into power lines, which can lead to outages. When the weather improves, power lines must be inspected, possibly involving aerial inspections using helicopters and drones, and any damage must be repaired before service can be restored.

The company urges customers to review family and business emergency plans, ensure they have supplies they need on hand, and keep close watch on the development of the storm. Preparation and safety tips are available at hawaiianelectric.com/stormcenter. Detailed tips also may be found in our free Handbook for Emergency Preparedness, which can be downloaded at hawaiianelectric.com/prepare. It is available in English, Cantonese, Ilocano, Korean, and Vietnamese languages, as well as a version for children. 

For your safety

Hawaiian Electric urges its customers to take the following safety precautions, as appropriate: 

• Check emergency equipment, such as flashlights, emergency generators, battery-operated (hand-crank or solar) radios, light sticks, and lanterns to be sure they are operational, and buy extra batteries. 
• If someone in your home is dependent on electrically powered, life-sustaining medical equipment, check backup facilities. Plan where to go should the need for evacuation occurs. If you need to go to the hospital or other emergency shelter, remember to take your medical equipment and medications with you to the facility. 
• If you plan to use a ladder while preparing your home for the storm, note the location of power lines before you begin. Be sure that ladders or scaffolds are far enough away so that you – and the ends of the tools you’re using – stay at least 10 feet away from power lines. Before lowering a TV antennae or satellite dish, make sure to turn off and unplug the TV. 
• If you plan to use a portable generator after the storm, make sure it is placed in a well-ventilated area outside the home, and be sure to carefully follow all instructions in the manufacturer’s manual.   
• Most counties will suspend trash and debris pickup before a storm. Please do not trim trees now, as high winds can turn cut branches into dangerous, flying debris. However, if you have already trimmed trees, please help to prevent outages by tying down or securing any of those loose branches or other debris. 

How HECO prepares for storm season 

• Prior to hurricane season, HECO conducts extensive training to prepare employees to respond safely and as quickly as possible to storms and other emergencies. 
• HECO secures mutual assistance agreements with other utilities outside the state in the event that additional restoration crews are needed. The utility also orders backup emergency supplies and equipment, and plans staging sites across the island. 
• HECO conducts outreach with federal, state and local agencies to ensure coordination of response efforts. 
• The utility also prepares and strengthens its infrastructure throughout the year by:
  • Doing ongoing vegetation management 
  • Inspecting and upgrading poles, power lines, transformers, and other equipment 
  • Conducting ongoing maintenance of generating units 

Latest weather update

Tropical Weather Outlook by the National Weather Service, Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu (8 a.m. HST Wednesday, Aug. 21 2024)

For the central North Pacific between 140W and 180W:

1. Showers and thunderstorms have changed little in organization since last night in association with a well-defined area of low pressure located well east-southeast of the Hawaiian Islands. However, only a slight improvement in organization could result in the formation of a tropical depression or tropical storm later today while it moves generally westward at 10 to 15 mph. This system is expected to strengthen as it moves into the central Pacific basin tonight or on Thursday and moves near the Hawaiian Islands late this weekend or early next week.

Interests in Hawaii should closely monitor this disturbance, though it remains too early to determine the exact location and magnitude of potential impacts. For marine forecasts, including gale warnings, see High Seas Forecasts issued by the National Weather Service.

* Formation chance through 48 hours: high, 90%.
* Formation chance through 7 days: high, 90%.