#tropical storm hone

Tropical storms Gilma and Hector are forecast to weaken considerably and bring rain as they approach the Hawaiian Islands, according to the National Weather Service.

Hawaiian Electric has completed power restoration to all remaining customers impacted by Tropical Storm Hone, with the exception of those who must repair damage to their property before service can safely be restored. Power has also been restored to all Maui and O‘ahu customers impacted by the storm.

As of 8 a.m. today, about 248 Hawai‘i Island customers remain without power. Crews are continuing to respond to scattered, isolated outages in the following areas:

Hawaiian Electric crews continue work to restore power to the remaining customers impacted by Tropical Storm Hone. As of 10:30 a.m., 1,902 remained without power on the Big Island, 92 were without power in Upcountry Maui, and 62 customers were without power on Oʻahu.

Hone weakened from a hurricane into a tropical storm and continued on a path westward away from the Hawaiian Islands overnight. The National Weather Service is forecasting a return of typical trade wind weather through much of the week before Hurricane Gilma weakens on its approach to the islands later this week.

Hone has weakened from hurricane status to a tropical storm as the center passed about 175 miles south of Kauaʻi. On the forecast track, Hone will continue moving away from the main Hawaiian Islands, and pass well north of Johnston Island Tuesday night into Wednesday, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center.

Update: The American Red Cross, working in close partnership with emergency managers and community partners in the County of Hawaii has closed all evacuation centers as of Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024, 6 p.m. All residents have been assisted and the Red Cross will continue to monitor community sheltering needs. 

Hawaiian Electric has deployed observers (14 on Oʻahu, 22 on Maui, and 22 on Hawaiʻi Island) to monitor conditions and look out for any fire risks. Hawaiian Electric continues to monitor the approach of Tropical Storm Hone and for signs of any hazardous conditions with a red flag warning in effect for Leeward portions of the smaller Hawaiian Islands through 6 p.m. and a wind advisory in the forecast through 6 a.m. on Monday. 

The Central Pacific Hurricane Center has upgraded Hone to the status of a Category 1 Hurricane, with maximum sustained winds now at 75 mph. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 15 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles, according to the CPHC. The system was last located about 105 miles south of Hilo, Hawaiʻi, 115 miles SSE of Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi; 55 miles SSE of South Point, Hawaiʻi; 180 miles SSE of Hāna, Maui; 200 miles SSE of Kahului, Maui; 230 miles SSE of Kaunakakai, Molokaʻi; 210 miles SSE of Lānaʻi City, Lānaʻi; 275 miles SE of Honolulu, Oʻahu; 370 miles SE of Līhuʻe, Kauaʻi; and 405 miles SE of Niʻihau.

Crews are responding to storm-related outages on Hawaiʻi Island and the company also continues to coordinate with state and county emergency response officials. With the updated forecast, which includes rainfall and increased humidity, lessening the threat of wildfires, Hawaiian Electric has determined that a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) will no longer be considered as a safety measure at this time. 

Below is a list of events that have been confirmed by the Hawaiʻi High School Athletic Association as cancelled or postponed for this weekend: Girls Volleyball – Haleakalā Waldorf at Lānaʻi (canceled); Girls Volleyball – Molokaʻi at Seabury (postponed); Football – Maui at Keaʻau (canceled); 8-man Football – Seabury at Hāna (postponed.)

Maui County residents are advised to prepare and monitor developments as Tropical Storm Hone approaches the state. Tropical Storm Hone is expected to pass near or south of the Big Island Saturday night into early Sunday. Strong and gusty easterly winds will continue Sunday into Monday as Hone passes south of the smaller islands. NWS was forecasting that East Maui would be the area most impacted on Maui, beginning Saturday afternoon.

The National Weather Service has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for the Big Island with the latest forecast track bringing the center of Hone near the South Point from Saturday night into Sunday morning. The NWS reports Hone will then strengthen to a Hurricane late Sunday as it passes south of Oʻahu and Molokaʻi.

The Central Pacific Hurricane Center is monitoring Tropical Storm Hone, located far east-southeast of the state, and currently tracking westward. “While it is too early to determine the exact impacts, a transition to a wet and windy period is likely over the weekend through early next week as this tropical storm approaches and moves into the area,” according to the National Weather Service.