More than 2,000 households, mostly residents on Oʻahu’s North Shore, were still without power following the second Kona low system to hit Hawaiʻi in a week.
Hawaiian Electric said it had restored power to about 1,200 customers in the area after de-energizing its Waialua substation on Friday due to flooding. It is working with customers to restore power safely.
Another 100 customers in Maui County were without power, and all major outages on Hawaiʻi Island had been addressed.
The worst of the storms appear to be over, Hawaiʻi meteorologist Matthew Foster told The Associated Press.
By Sunday afternoon, the weather shifted from widespread showers to scattered rain from Oʻahu, Maui County to Big Island, Foster said. Less than 5 inches of rain is expected for Hawaiʻi Island, with between 1 to 2 inches in other areas.
Winds will pick up out of the northeast sides of the islands, which have more vegetation and can handle more rain, Foster said. It will take a couple days for the moisture to push past the islands, and drier and more typical March weather can be expected by Wednesday.
Additional flooding could still occur, but more on an isolated scale rather than widespread, Foster said.
A flood watch remains in effect for Oʻahu, Maui and Hawaiʻi Island throughout the day.
City and County of Honolulu
An ariel view of a neighborhood in Waialua still waterlogged and covered in thick mud a day after devastating flooding. (March 21, 2026)
In the Waialua-Haleʻiwa area on Oʻahu, muddy floodwaters from severe rains inundated streets, pushed homes off their foundations, swallowed vehicles, and prompted evacuation orders for thousands of people on Friday.
All evacuation orders for residents in Waialua and Haleʻiwa were lifted Saturday afternoon.
All water users on the North Shore from Mokulēʻia to Turtle Bay are under a boil water notice. Any water pulled from the tap should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for three minutes prior to consumption. Officials said there’s potential damage to the water system caused by the second Kona low storm. Water tankers have also been stationed at Waialua Community Association, Banzai Skatepark and Waialua District Park Recreation Center.
City and County of Honolulu
Oʻahu’s North Shore farmlands are seen flooded by the second Kona Low storm. (March 21, 2026)
On Saturday afternoon, Mayor Blangiardi, Interim Honolulu Police Department Chief Rade Vanic, Honolulu Fire Department Chief Sheldon Hao, and Department of Emergency Management Director Randy Collins surveyed impacted communities by air and ground.
“What we saw underscores just how devastating this storm has been for our North Shore communities,” said Blangiardi. “We are committed to supporting our residents through the recovery process and will continue working closely with our partners to ensure resources are getting where they are needed most.”
Blangiardi said he’s been in contact with Gov. Josh Green and the state’s congressional delegation for aid and assistance in clean up efforts.
In Maui Nui, Honoapiʻilani Highway has been closed in several areas due to flooding, debris, rockslides, and malfunctioning traffic signals.
Some areas of Kīhei, ʻĪao Valley and Wailuku River were upgraded to an evacuation warning Saturday evening due to flooding.
The Maui Emergency Management Agency issued an evacuation warning on Sunday for Kelawea Mauka III neighborhoods above the bypass in Lahaina because of new and worsening roadway sinkholes.
Hawai‘i Department of Transportation
Kamehameha V Highway on Moloka‘i blocked by water, mud and debris on March 21, 2026. A crew is on scene working to clear the roadway.
All islands except Kauaʻi are under a flood watch through Sunday afternoon. Drivers should anticipate road closures and detours.
Kauaʻi’s weather advisory was lifted Saturday evening. The island is transitioning out of this storm system with drier and more consistent weather expected through the week.
The Hawai‘i State Department of Health advises beach users to stay out of waters when the water appears brown or murky, especially following storms or heavy rain.
Floodwaters fill the ground level of homes in Waialua, Hawaiʻi, Friday, March 20, 2026.
Gov. Josh Green said the cost of the storm could top $1 billion, including damage to airports, schools, roads, homes, and a Maui hospital.
“This is going to have a very serious consequence for us as a state,” Green said at a news conference Friday. He also said his chief of staff spoke to the White House and received assurances of federal support.
Green said the flooding was the state’s most serious since the 2004 floods in Mānoa inundated homes and a University of Hawaiʻi library.
Officials blamed some of the devastation Friday on the sheer amount of rain that fell in a short amount of time on saturated land. Parts of Oʻahu received 8 to 12 inches of rain overnight into Friday. Kaʻala, the island’s highest peak, got nearly 16 inches, the NWS said.
Officials have been monitoring the 120-year-old Wahiawā Dam in Central Oʻahu, which has been vulnerable for decades, saying it was at risk of overflowing on Friday. Water levels in the reservoir receded by late Friday, but that could change with more rainfall.
Overnight into Friday, the water level went from 79 feet to 84 feet — just 6 feet shy of what the dam can handle, authorities said. After peaking at more than 85 feet, the water level had dropped Sunday to about 81 feet, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
During last weekend’s storm, Green said, “When that dam water gets past 83 feet, we start getting concerned. At 85 feet, we tend to evacuate, and at 88 to 90 feet, it becomes a deep concern.”
Power outages
On Oʻahu, power was still out for about 2,000 customers on the North Shore. Those customers are expected to remain without electricity until assessment and repairs can be completed. Thousands of customers lost power when HECO de-energized its Waialua substation on Friday for those in the flood zone for safety reasons.
About 100 customers in Maui Nui were without power. HECO said it had two crews working in Hāna. There were no major outages on Hawaiʻi Island. HECO stressed that people should be prepared for the possibility of new outages.
Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island and Maui Nui residents can track Hawaiian Electric power outages here. Kauaʻi residents can track KIUC outages here.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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