Maui News

Maui Bicycling League is inviting all candidates seeking Maui County or State offices representing West Maui to attend a nonpartisan community gathering on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, and share their perspectives on the future of West Maui’s multimodal transportation network.

Impacts from Lowell brought debris and flooding over several roadways on Maui, resulting in erosion and unsafe travel conditions in parts of South and West Maui. Mahalo to those who sent in photos and video of severe weather impacts from across the County.

Four Hawaiʻi State Department of Education public schools in Lahaina will be closed Tuesday, Sept. 8, due to unsafe travel conditions along Honoapiʻilani Highway in the Olowalu area following impacts from Hurricane Lowell.

The Maui County Council approved spending $10 million from emergency funds for recovery efforts following Hurricane Lala, although overall damage costs are rising to nearly $15 million.

Damaging winds, heavy rain and powerful waves continue impacting Kauaʻi this morning as the core of Lowell moves NNW of Niʻihau and further away from Kauaʻi.

Flagman Safety will conduct eight assemblies at four elementary schools Sept. 8-11 where students will participate in engaging scenario-based presentations, alongside local law enforcement, firefighters, paramedics, tow operators and highway workers. These first responders will translate the state’s newly expanded Move Over law into simple terms, so children understand why the law exists and whom it protects.

“The One-Person Security Department: Building Your Own Tools for Hawaiʻi IT on No Budget” is the topic for the first in a series of three free Zoom meetings presented by the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College for sole proprietors and registered businesses in Hawaiʻi.

The Hawaiʻi State Judiciary announces that state courts and Judiciary operations on Oʻahu will be closed on Tuesday, Sept. 8, due to Hurricane Lowell. The closure is in addition to the previously announced closure of the courthouse and Judiciary operations on Kauaʻi.

The Hawaiʻi State Capitol will be closed on Tuesday, Sept. 8, following Gov. Josh Green’s announcement regarding the closure of state offices on Oʻahu and Kauaʻi due to Hurricane Lowell impacts.

Gov. Josh Green announced that state and county offices, Hawaiʻi State Department of Education public schools, Oʻahu and Kauaʻi campuses of the University of Hawaiʻi and Hawaiʻi State Judiciary facilities on Oʻahu and in Kauaʻi County will be closed today, Tuesday, Sept. 8, because of the continuing threat and impacts of Hurricane Lowell.

(Update: 12 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026) Maui police implemented a partial closure of the Honoapiʻilani Highway about a half hour before midnight due to lots of debris on the road between Māʻalaea and Ukumehame. The closure extends from Kapoli Street in Māʻalaea to Ehehene Street in Ukumehame. The closure is impacting northbound traffic in the Lahaina direction.

Hurricane Lowell is at its closest approach to the islands, currently passing just west of Niʻihau, brining damaging winds, heavy rain and powerful waves to Kauaʻi County. Lowell remains a category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph and higher gusts.

The Kauaʻi Emergency Management Agency has sounded the outdoor warning siren on Niʻihau this evening as hurricane-force winds from Hurricane Lowell move toward the island.

(Update: 5 p.m. HST Monday, Sept. 7, 2026) Dangerous conditions are expected on Niʻihau, Kauaʻi and Oʻahu as Hurricane Lowell brings flash flooding, damaging waves and high winds.

All University of Hawaiʻi campuses and facilities on Oʻahu and Kauaʻi Community College will be closed Tuesday, Sept. 8, as a precautionary measure due to the possible impacts of Hurricane Lowell.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Health has conditionally approved the reactivation of the Navy’s ʻAiea Hālawa Shaft as a water source for the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Public Water System.

Precursory low-level eruptive activity before episode 55 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began around 12:45 p.m. HST on Sept. 7, 2026, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports. This activity was marked with a sluggish overflow from the north vent.

The Friends of ʻIolani Palace is marking 60 years of stewardship with a special-edition Aloha de Mele collaboration by Native Hawaiian artist JT Ojerio honoring Queen Liliʻuokalani and her beloved pua kalaunu, or crown flower.

As Hurricane Lowell approaches the westernmost of the main Hawaiian Islands, heavy rainfall and strong winds are a major concern. In response, the Hawaiʻi Mesonet and Hawaiʻi Climate Data Portal (HCDP) team at the University of Hawaiʻi created a new website to enable access to the most recent rainfall and wind speed data from Hawaiʻi Mesonet stations.

The Kauaʻi Emergency Management Agency is urging residents and visitors at exposed oceanfront properties along Kauaʻi’s south and west shores to move to a safer location as soon as possible, before wind, rain, and ocean conditions make travel unsafe.