Wind Blamed for Nāpili Power Outage

Power lines. File photo by Wendy Osher.

By Wendy Osher

Wind is being blamed for a power outage that affected an estimated 1,300 customers in the Nāpili area of West Maui.

Representatives with Maui Electric Company say the outage resulted when high winds blew branches into power lines.

The outage was reported at around 4:45 a.m., and power was restored shortly after 6 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014.

There is a wind advisory in effect for Maui today, but it is for the upper elevations, in the area above 6,000 feet within the Haleakalā National Park boundaries.

The advisory remains in effect until 6 p.m. tonight, with winds expected to be westerly blowing at 30 to 45 mph, with 55 mph gusts, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecasters advise that winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles.