MEMA issues flood advisories due to flood prone areas in preparation for kona storm 2

Maui Emergency Management Agency has issued flood advisories for high- and moderate-risk flood-prone areas in Maui County beginning at 8:45 p.m. tonight, March 19, 2026. Many of these areas carry a federal floodplain designation and are known to be vulnerable to flooding during periods of excessive rainfall. A flood advisory is not an evacuation warning or order.

South Kīhei has been identified by MEMA as an area at high-risk of flooding due to significant sediment accumulation from the recent kona low storm. Ongoing cleanup efforts are focused on restoring drainage capacity, but elevated flood risk remains. Other areas of moderate-risk include ʻĪao, East Molokaʻi, Lahaina, and East Maui.

To view whether your address is under MEMA flood advisory, visit Genasys Protect App at https://protect.genasys.com/search?z=14&latlon=20.886943%2C-156.504834 and search your address OR download the app and save your address as a location. Up to 10 locations can be saved. Also, allow the app to track you so that you will be notified driving in and out of zones.

There are three types of Genasys Protect alerts:

• Advisory: Be on alert and follow County recommendations. Follow instructions from officials and stay informed.
• Warning: Potential threat to life and/or property. Those who require additional time to evacuate, and those with livestock and pets, may consider leaving early.
• Orders: Mandatory evacuations due to imminent threat to life and/or property. Leave now.

Residents and visitors under flood advisory are encouraged to prepare an emergency go bag with essential items they can quickly take if evacuation becomes necessary, including medications, important documents, clothing, and basic supplies. In addition, households should maintain enough food, water, and essential supplies to safely shelter in place for at least 72 hours, and ideally up to 14 days, in case access to services is limited.

Even if your area is not under an official advisory, residents and visitors should use their best judgment. If conditions feel unsafe, do not wait. Move to a safer location.

Storm update:

The kona storm 2 forecast to reach the state beginning today follows a severe kona storm that impacted the state March 13 to 16, 2026. Maui received the highest rainfall totals in the state from the first kona storm, and wind speeds were second highest in the state, according to NWS data. Flooding and wind severely damaged portions of South Maui, ‘Īao, Upper Kula, East Maui, Lahaina, and East Moloka‘i.

More information:

For the latest information, visit NWS in Honolulu at https://www.weather.gov/hfo/ and subscribe to Genasys Protect and MEMA alerts at mauicounty.gov/MEMA.