graphic by BIVN

(BIVN) – As the impacts of a strong winter low pressure system begin to be felt on Hawaiʻi island, local officials have announced various closures and opened shelters for Big Island residents. 

While the islands of Kauai and Oʻahu are already experiencing severe weather related to the storm, peak impacts for Hawaiʻi island are expected to be Thursday night through Friday morning, with conditions improving by Saturday morning. 

A Flood Watch is in effect for the entire Big Island, along with a High Wind Warning. A Winter Storm Warning is also in place for the summits of Maunakea and Mauna Loa, which could see up to two feet of snow.

Emergency officials have even warned that the severe weather has the potential to produce brief and weak tornadoes.

Seven emergency shelters are currently open, with a total of 11 available.

• Waimea Community Center
• Nāʻālehu Community Center
• Robert N. Herkes Gym
• Yano Hall
• Kekuaokalani Gym
• Keaʻau Armory
• Pāhoa Neighborhood Facility

Additional shelters will be opened and staffed as needed.

A number of Hawaiʻi County facilities have already been closed due to the storm:

• Mahukona Wharf
• Carvalho Park
• Panaʻewa Rainforest Zoo & Gardens
• Keaʻau Armory (closed for normal daily activities but remains open for a shelter)
• Pāhoa Pool

All County campsites are closed until further notice to ensure public safety, officials say.

Hawaiian Electric is also urging customers to prepare for the possibility of extended power outages due to the storm. Outages are already being reported across Hawaiʻi island.

“Our crews are currently responding to outages and we want to reassure our customers that we’re on the job, ready for the impacts of this storm system,” stated Jim Alberts, senior vice president and chief operations officer, in a news release. “In the past 24 hours, we’ve increased our restoration team and have workers standing by to restore power as quickly as possible. As long as it’s safe, we’ll work continuously after the storm clears until all customers have power again.”

The utility says that depending on the storm’s ultimate path and intensity, damage to the electrical infrastructure could be extensive. “Repairs could take longer, and in extreme cases require us to rebuild parts of our system,” Hawaiian Electric stated.

“We urge our customers to complete their preparations and make safety their highest priority,” Alberts said. “And we thank our customers in advance for their patience with what could be a challenging couple of days. Please know that we’ll be out in force as soon as it’s safe to work.”