Hawaiian Electric urges residents to prepare as above-average hurricane season approaches

With forecasters projecting a busier-than-normal Central Pacific hurricane season, Hawaiian Electric is calling on customers across the islands to build emergency plans before the first storm threatens.

The season runs from June through November, and this year’s outlook calls for five to 13 tropical cyclones. The utility pointed to the March Kona Low as a reminder that even unnamed storm systems can knock out power and cause widespread damage — no hurricane required.

Downed trees and vegetation are the leading cause of outages during severe weather, with wind-driven debris capable of taking down lines and damaging infrastructure. High winds, heavy rain and lightning can slow the work of repair crews trying to restore service.

Hawaiian Electric conducts year-round grid hardening work to reduce those risks. In 2025, the company replaced 1,650 utility poles, upgraded another 815, and trimmed vegetation along more than 2,300 miles of circuits statewide.

The company recommends residents stock emergency kits with enough water, food, medications and hygiene supplies to last at least 14 days — for both household members and pets. Other tips include keeping a battery-powered radio and flashlights on hand, unplugging sensitive electronics during outages, and knowing how to shut off electricity at the main breaker before evacuating.

Residents who depend on electrically powered medical equipment are urged to arrange backup power or identify an alternate location in case of an extended outage.

Hawaiian Electric also cautions that any downed power line should be treated as live and energized — stay at least 30 feet away and report it immediately.

The utility’s Handbook for Emergency Preparedness is available at hawaiianelectric.com/prepare. Free printed copies will be distributed at City Mill locations, Hawaiʻi State Library branches, the Navy Exchange and Marine Corps Base Hawaiʻi.