Hawaiʻi functionally shut down Sunday, The Weather Channel reported, as the state was "getting hit with a little bit of everything" in terms of weather.
What's happening?
Gov. Josh Green issued an urgent press release Sunday, warning Hawaiians "to prepare for significant severe weather expected statewide."
Green cited National Weather Service forecasts of heavy rain, flooding, and high winds, warning of "hazardous travel conditions" and the potential for power outages. The Weather Channel reported that low-lying areas began flooding Sunday.
As a precautionary measure, Hawaiʻi closed schools and government offices. National Weather Service meteorologist John Bravender explained that forecasted heavy rains could be volatile.
"We're looking at very intense rainfall rates; it's not so much the amount of rain that comes down but how quickly it comes down as well," he said, per the Weather Channel.
Early Sunday, state utility provider Hawaiian Electric informed customers that it was working to restore power in several areas and advised people in its service area to "prepare for possible outages due to stormy conditions."
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Why is this concerning?
As the Weather Channel noted, Hawaiʻi was "hit" by several severe weather events at once.
On Monday, ABC News cited ongoing extreme drought on Maui and the Big Island, and Fox Weather reported that heavy rains triggered a highway-blocking landslide on Maui.
The coalescence of aggressive weather systems over Hawaiʻi was a hallmark of extreme weather, a phenomenon distinct from "severe weather." As average temperatures rise, water evaporates more readily, supercharging routine weather systems.
Extreme weather is a global problem, making weather more costly, deadly, and disruptive, and Hawaiian Electric warned of potential "Public Safety Power Shutoffs."
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$200 or more 💰 In states like Hawaiʻi and California, PSPS are a direct consequence of increasingly frequent and severe bouts of extreme weather; utility providers proactively cut power to high-risk areas.
Hawaiian Electric dutifully provided updates about which outages were PSPS and which weren't, while the utility urged ratepayers to "continue planning for potential extended outages."
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What's being done about it?
On Monday, Green issued a press release announcing that most state services would resume Tuesday, except facilities that sustained "weather-related damage."
Understanding the causes and risks posed by key climate issues, such as extreme weather, is a critical part of staying safe and prepared.
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