HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – In response to ongoing severe weather conditions and potential threats to the health and safety of Oʻahu residents, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi on Thursday ordered the closure of all non-essential offices and services of the City and County of Honolulu through at least Friday, March 12, 2026.
All disaster response and disaster support personnel must report to work on Friday; all other City and County of Honolulu employees will be granted administrative leave. A memorandum notifying department and agency leaders of the directive was signed by Mayor Blangiardi on Thursday afternoon. Earlier in the week, an emergency proclamation was issued to assist with disaster readiness and response ahead of the storm.
Watch the mayor’s full press conference:
In preparation for the severe weather, the city activated its Emergency Operations Center and implemented several facility closures to protect public safety.
In preparation for the severe weather, the City has already implemented several facility closures to protect public safety:
City park facilities across Oʻahu are closed, including:
- Athletic fields
- Swimming pools
- Outdoor courts
- Gymnasiums (except those that may be designated as shelters; additional information will be provided if needed)
- People’s Open Markets
- All other outdoor park facilities
- All Honolulu Botanical Gardens are closed.
- All Community Gardens are closed.
All permitted activities and park classes scheduled during this period are canceled.
These closures are necessary to allow staff to assess storm impacts and ensure the areas are safe for residents and visitors:
- The Honolulu Zoo is closed until further notice.
- All six municipal golf courses are closed until further notice.
- Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve is closed until further notice.
- All City convenience centers will be closed on March 13 and 14.
- The Department of Motor Vehicles and satellite city hall services are suspended Friday. Residents are asked to reschedule March 13 appointments.
- The Department of Environmental Services will close all convenience centers from Friday through Saturday.
ENV said regular curbside refuse collection will continue as scheduled. Gray, blue, and green cart pick-up will not be impacted at this time.
Additional closures or changes to ENV operations will be announced as conditions are reassessed, officials said.
Royal Hawaiian Band performances scheduled between March 12 and March 14 are canceled out of an abundance of caution.
The Kamehameha III lei draping ceremony, which commemorates the king’s birthday and his contributions to Hawaiian culture, has been postponed. A new date will be announced once the event is rescheduled.
Overnight camping at all City and County of Honolulu campgrounds has been suspended due to the forecast for severe weather in the coming days. The suspension will remain in effect through Sunday, March 15, when the current permitted camping period ends for five-day campgrounds.
The City will open seven emergency shelters for impacted residents and visitors at 5:00 p.m. today, March 12. The shelters are operated in partnership between the City and the Red Cross, along with support from houseless outreach providers in coordination with Partners In Care. The following sites will be available as shelters:
- Waialua High and Intermediate School
- Nānākuli High and Intermediate School
- Mānoa Valley District Park
- Kāneʻohe District Park
- George Fred Wright Wahiawā District Park
- Kahuku Elementary School
- Asing Community Park
The gymnasium at ‘Ewa Mahiko District Park will be closed to the public, so participants of the H.O.N.U. (Homeless Outreach and Navigation for the Unsheltered) program can be safely sheltered inside during the severe weather.
View a statewide list of shelters here.
Residents and visitors should also prepare for significant disruptions to island-wide transportation networks, including potential road closures, traffic signal outages, and transit delays.
Skyline will operate as scheduled, but TheBus and TheHandi-Van services could be paused due to worsening weather conditions and unsafe wind speeds for operations of high-profile vehicles like City buses.
Private businesses on Oʻahu are also urged to be aware of severe weather conditions, including the threat of dangerous winds and heavy rain, and to make informed decisions about whether to continue planned events, especially those scheduled for outdoor venues.
“Storms like this are a reminder that preparation and common sense can make all the difference,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “We are asking everyone on Oʻahu to stay alert, limit unnecessary travel, and give our first responders and City crews the space they need to do their jobs. The best thing our residents can do right now is stay informed, stay cautious, and look out for one another until this weather system moves through.”
The Oahu Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was activated at 7 a.m. on Thursday in response to the severe weather system.
Residents are asked to take the following precautions:
- Turn around, don’t drown! Do not attempt to walk, swim, or drive through flowing or rising water. Floodwaters can rise rapidly. Just one foot of moving water can sweep away a vehicle. If your vehicle is caught in rapidly moving water, stay inside. If water begins to rise inside the vehicle, get on the roof.
- Use extreme caution outdoors and check the weather forecast. Do not cross flooded streams. Streambeds that appear dry can quickly flood due to rain upstream, even if it is not raining where you are.
- Evacuation: Go to high ground and evacuate if directed or you feel unsafe. If trapped in a building, move to higher floors or the roof and signal for help.
- Be aware of the risk of electrocution. Do not touch electrical equipment if it is wet or if you are standing in water. If it is safe to do so, turn off the electricity to prevent shock.
Stay updated on City updates and weather forecast information with HNL Alert. Make a profile and customize your alerts at hnlalert.gov . Only want urgent alerts? Text ‘HNLALERT’ to ‘888-777’ to quickly subscribe.
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