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Hawai‘i US Sens. Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono and Reps. Ed Case and Jill Tokuda called for support today for an emergency declaration from the president ahead of Tropical Storm Nolo. Gov. Josh Green made the official request earlier. “An emergency declaration is critical to ensuring Hawai‘i has the federal resources it needs to prepare […]

Due to the approaching Tropical Storm Nolo, both districts of Haleakalā National Park will close this evening— Kīpahulu District at 4 p.m. and Summit District at 8 p.m. Sunrise reservations for Friday and Saturday, Sept. 25 and 26 have been cancelled. Front country and backcountry camping are cancelled for today, Sept. 24 through Saturday, Sept. 26. The park will reopen when it is safe to do so. Notifications regarding park closures and reopening will be posted on the park’s website and social media channels.

The County of Maui will open emergency shelters at noon on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, for anyone impacted by Tropical Storm Nolo. The National Weather Service issued a Tropical Storm Watch for Maui County at 11:19 a.m. today, with tropical storm-force winds possible within the next 48 hours. Maui County remains under a Flood Watch, which was issued at noon Sept. 23.

US Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) spoke on the Senate floor about recent storms in Hawai‘i and the warming planet’s role in making disasters more frequent and severe. Schatz highlighted the damage and disruption caused by Hurricanes Lala and Lowell in recent weeks and the need for the federal government to help communities across the country not just respond to, but also prepare for, disasters as they occur more often.

County of Maui departments are preparing for possible impacts from Tropical Storm Nolo, which is forecast to strengthen and bring heavy rain, high winds and flash flooding to Maui County, especially East Maui, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

As Tropical Storm Nolo intensifies and closes in on the Hawaiian Islands, the Maui County Council will postpone its regularly scheduled Friday meeting until Tuesday, according to an announcement from Council Chair Alice Lee.

The company is maintaining a 24-hour watch on Nolo’s path in order to position crews and equipment in areas most likely to be affected. Crews that were helping Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative following Tropical Storm Lowell are returning to their Hawaiian Electric bases and will be on-hand for storm response on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island and in Maui County.

A fire at a Maui home Wednesday night caused an estimated $100,000 in damage and resulted in one person being displaced. The fire was reported at 7:06 p.m., Sept. 23, 2026, on Awapuhi Lane in Wailuku.

Due to anticipated severe weather, the County of Maui has canceled the War Memorial Gymnasium Blessing scheduled for Friday, Sept. 25, and postponed the Kōkua Kauaʻi Donation Drive scheduled for Sept. 26-27, according to the County of Maui Office of Public Affairs.

A draft environmental assessment is open for public comment on a proposal to develop a new 262-acre agricultural park in Kula, separate from—but connected by infrastructure to—the existing Kula Agricultural Park.

A temporary Lahaina Public Library is moving closer to reality as a 20-by-20-foot FORTS self-contained unit was installed Tuesday at the Lahaina Civic Center’s upper parking lot next to the Lahaina District Court.

The County of Maui Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the Maui Invasive Species Committee, is urging residents, agricultural producers, landscapers and green waste haulers to survey their properties and remain vigilant following the detection of two significant Little Fire Ant infestations in Haʻikū and Kapalua.

University of Hawai‘i Maui College Culinary Arts Program has announced details for their 2026 Noble Chef fundraising gala and introduction of an ongoing Noble Chef Dinner Series leading up to the Gala.

Three nēnē from the same family were killed this month, just one day apart, by drivers on Moloka‘i. As we approach Nēnē Awareness Day on Sept. 26, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife wants to remind Hawai‘i residents that incidents like these are preventable.

All state parks, camping, forest reserves, Nā Ala Hele hiking trails, wildlife sanctuaries, natural area reserves, hunting and game management areas on the following islands will be closed due to the anticipated impacts of Tropical Storm Nolo: Hawai‘i Island starting Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026; and Maui and Molokaʻi starting Friday, Sept. 25, 2026.

(Update: 5:08 p.m., 9.24.26) The National Weather Service that Nolo has strengthened from a tropical storm to a hurricane, with 75 mph winds. A tropical storm watch has been declared for Maui County.

Current estimates and recovery commitments reported by state agencies total approximately $686 million from the March Kona Low storms, the May 22 magnitude 6.0 Hawaiʻi Island earthquake, Hurricane Lala and Hurricane Lowell. The state has also identified at least $319 million in proposed resilience and mitigation projects to strengthen critical infrastructure and prepare Hawaiʻi for future disasters.

Courts and Judiciary operations on Hawaiʻi Island (Third Circuit) will be closed Thursday, Sept. 24, and Friday, Sept. 25, due to anticipated severe weather from Tropical Storm Nolo, which is expected to strengthen into a hurricane. Courts and Judiciary operations on Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi (Second Circuit) will be closed Friday, Sept. 25.

(Update: 11 p.m., Sept. 23, 2026) Damaging tropical storm force winds reaching the Big Island as early as Friday morning, and dangerous hurricane force winds possible by Friday night. Hurricane or tropical storm watches may be needed for other islands should Nolo move closer to the islands.

The University of Hawaiʻi will close UH Hilo, Hawaiʻi Community College and all other UH units on Hawaiʻi Island on Thursday and Friday, while UH Maui College and other UH units in Maui County will close Friday, as Tropical Storm Nolo approaches the state and is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane. The closures include UH Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience extension offices on Hawaiʻi Island and in Maui County.