Kona low lashes Hawaii, leaving thousands without power as crews restore service

Kona storm lashes Hawaii, knocking out power to over 100,000 at peak

A powerful Kona low battered the Hawaiian Islands in mid-March 2026, bringing widespread outages, flooding rain, and damaging winds. At its peak, more than 100,000 utility customers lost electricity statewide.

Although crews steadily restored service, tens of thousands remained without power for days as the slow-moving storm continued to affect multiple islands.

What is a Kona storm?

A Kona storm (often called a “Kona low”) is a cool-season low-pressure system that can form west or northwest of the Hawaiian Islands and linger long enough to bring multi-day impacts.

Unlike Hawaiʻi’s usual trade-wind pattern, Kona lows can draw moisture-rich air from the south to southwest, increasing the risk of prolonged heavy rain, flooding, and strong winds across multiple islands.

Timeline of the event

The storm intensified heading into the weekend of March 14–15, 2026, as the system strengthened and slowed near the islands. Conditions worsened quickly, with forecasters warning of dangerous impacts across the state.

Heavy rain, strong winds, and widespread outages persisted for several days. Although conditions gradually improved after the weekend, lingering hazards and damage continued to affect communities and delay full recovery in some areas.

State of emergency declared

Governor Josh Green declared a state of emergency to accelerate response efforts and ensure agencies could act quickly. Emergency measures allowed resources to be deployed efficiently as conditions worsened.

The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings, high wind alerts, and advisories for hazardous conditions, including potential snow and ice at high elevations, helping prepare residents and coordinate emergency response across islands during the storm.

Peak power outages

During the storm, Hawaiian Electric reported about 121,020 customers without power at one point, with the vast majority on Oʻahu.

Outage totals shifted throughout the event as crews restored service in some neighborhoods while new storm-related damage caused additional outages elsewhere.

Utility updates showed the numbers changing as damage assessments continued and restoration work ramped up across multiple islands.

Tens of thousands still without power

As crews restored service, outages fell from more than 120,000 customers to around 49,000 by the morning of March 15 and to 26,100 later that night.

By March 16, Hawaiian Electric reported about 7,600 customers still without electricity, primarily on Maui and Hawaiʻi Island.

Hawaiian Electric also warned that restoration could take time in harder-hit areas because debris, flooding, and damaged equipment can delay repairs.

Why the grid was hit hard

High winds, saturated soil, and falling trees combined to damage power lines and utility poles across the islands. In some areas, key transmission lines were disrupted, increasing the scale of outages.

Debris, flooding, and unstable ground conditions made access difficult for repair crews. These combined factors created widespread failures across the electrical grid, making restoration more challenging.

Repair challenges

Utility crews reported widespread infrastructure damage and described the restoration as a long, complex process. Flooded roads, landslides, and storm debris blocked access to many affected areas, slowing progress.

In some locations, dangerous weather conditions limited the ability to safely conduct repairs, especially at night.

Crews worked continuously to assess damage, clear hazards, and restore service, but the scale and location of damage required careful, staged recovery efforts.

Flooding and landslides

The Kona low brought torrential rainfall across multiple islands. NWS summaries reported swaths of 30+ inches in some of the hardest-hit areas, contributing to flooding, landslides, and road failures.

Officials in Maui County reported widespread road closures due to flooding, landslides, sinkholes, and downed lines, and some communities were temporarily cut off when roads washed out.

Wind and mountain snow

Strong winds across the islands knocked down trees and power lines, contributing to widespread outages and property damage. At higher elevations on the Big Island, conditions turned wintry, with snow and ice affecting the tallest peaks.

These unusual conditions created additional hazards, especially for infrastructure and travel. The combination of wind, rain, and mountain weather highlighted the wide range of impacts a Kona storm can produce across Hawaii’s diverse landscapes.

Impacts on daily life and services

Power outages, flooding, and debris disrupted daily life across the islands, with reports of transportation delays and service interruptions in heavily affected areas.

Road closures and hazardous conditions limited movement, while some public services operated at reduced capacity.

Businesses in impacted neighborhoods faced temporary closures and challenges serving customers as crews worked to restore power and reopen key routes.

Safety warnings issued

Officials urged residents to avoid driving through floodwaters and to stay away from fast-moving streams and drainage areas.

Hawaiian Electric warned people to avoid downed power lines and standing water, and officials emphasized that repairs could take time due to widespread damage and difficult access in some areas.

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Why Kona storms are especially dangerous

Kona lows can linger long enough to extend impacts over several days. Their circulation and persistent flow can pull deep tropical moisture toward Hawaiʻi, raising the risk of prolonged heavy rain, flooding, and landslides.

Combined with strong winds and saturated ground, these compounding hazards can damage infrastructure and delay recovery efforts.

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Have you ever experienced a major storm or a long power outage? How did you handle it? Tell us in the comments.

This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.

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