Forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Central Pacific Hurricane Center said the Hawaiʻi region could see fewer than normal cyclones for the upcoming hurricane season. The forecast released on May 18, predicted two to four tropical cyclones compared to four to five in a normal season.

It is important to note that the forecast is for the number of storms in the region but not specifically for landfall to the state.

“This year we are predicting less activity in the Central Pacific region compared to normal seasons,” said Matthew Rosencrans, NOAA’s lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at the Climate Prediction Center. “The ongoing La Niña is likely to cause strong vertical wind shear making it more difficult for hurricanes to develop or move into the Central Pacific Ocean.”

Hurricane season in Hawaiʻi occurs roughly between June 1 and November 30. The Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency has a .

The University of Hawaiʻi encourages all students and employees to prepare for the season before storms approach, when the lines at stores can be overwhelming. ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ community members are invited to participate in the that are held over the summer.

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ resources:

All members of the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ community are urged to sign up for ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Alert to receive emergency text alerts. If you have already signed up, log in to ensure that contact information is up-to-date.

There is also the and app ( | ) with updated information.

Hawaiʻi created a great one-stop resource for disasters in the .

Notifications affecting ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ campuses will be posted on the emergency information webpage, as well as on social media:

Editor’s note: This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ facilities on Hawaiʻi Island plan to reopen (posted August 31, 3 p.m.)

Based on current conditions, all ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ facilities on Hawaiʻi Island plan to reopen tomorrow, Thursday, September 1, after being closed Wednesday, August 31 due to severe weather.

If the situation for September 1 changes, ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ will issue an update via email and ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ alert text messaging.

Please continue to monitor the and local media.

The facilities that plan to reopen tomorrow are:

• ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Hilo
• Hawaiʻi Community College
• Hawaiʻi Community College–Pālamanui
• ʻImiloa Astronomy Center
• North Hawaiʻi Education and Research Center
• Hale Pohaku–Onizuka Center for International Astronomy and food and lodging facilities (reopening at noon)
• All ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) facilities on Hawaiʻi Island
• All ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa Institute for Astronomy (IfA) facilities on Hawaiʻi Island

Facilities on all other islands remain open and were not affected, except for ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Maui College Hāna Education Center, that will close 5 p.m. on August 31 until further notice, due to power failure.

Severe weather update (posted August 31, 11 a.m.)

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ will update closure information related to Hurricane Madeline this afternoon (August 31) pending latest reports from state officials.

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ closures on Hawaiʻi Island (posted August 30, 3:30 p.m.)

All University of Hawaiʻi facilities on Hawaiʻi Island will be closed for all students and non-essential personnel starting tomorrow, Wednesday, August 31, in advance of Hurricane Madeline.

This includes:

• and food and lodging facilities

Although these closures only affect Hawaiʻi Island (at this time), the entire ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ community is urged to stay vigilant and follow the , other official agencies and local media for the latest weather news.

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Alert

Emergency situations affecting our 10 campuses will be announced to students, faculty and staff via ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Alert text messaging. .

Notifications affecting ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ campuses will also be posted at the .

Checklist for building closures

• Close all windows and blinds.

• Secure important/confidential documents and valuables.

• Remove perishable foods from buildings, trash cans and refrigerators.

• Update telephone and e-mail messages for the closure period.

• Turn off and unplug all electrical equipment and appliances (except phones), including: refrigerators (remove all items, defrost and wipe down), microwave ovens, coffee makers, battery chargers, computers, printers, fax machines, network devices (routers, switches, hubs, etc.), clocks, radios and window air conditioning units.

University of Hawaiʻi System announces the following schedules for all campuses over the weekend. Please confirm with individual campus websites for most updated information.

Normal operations are anticipated at this time to resume for all campuses on Monday, October 20.

Saturday, October 18

• 
  Motorcycle and Apprentice Classes: canceled
• 
  Normal Operations
• 
  Classes: canceled
  Events: canceled
• 
  Normal operations
  Athletic events: Open
• 
  Classes: as scheduled
  Events: canceled
  Library: closed
• 
  Classes: as scheduled until 3:30pm
  Training: as scheduled until 3:30pm
  Marine Education Training Center: closed
• 
  Farmers Market: canceled
  Events: canceled
  Classes: as scheduled
• 
  Classes: canceled after 5:00pm
  Events: canceled after 5:00pm
• 
  Normal operations
  Events after 5pm: TBD
• 
  Normal operations

Sunday, October 19

• 
  Normal operations
• 
  Normal operations
• 
  Classes/Events: canceled
• 
  Normal operations
  Athletic events: open
• 
  Events: canceled
  Library: closed
• 
  No activities or events will occur
  Marine Education Training Center closed
• 
  Classes: canceled
  Events: canceled
• 
  Classes: canceled
  Events: canceled
• 
  Classes: TBD
  Events: TBD
• 
  TBD

The University of Hawaiʻi continues to monitor Tropical Storm Ana and is working closely with state and county officials to anticipate its possible impact on Hawaiʻi. This is the October 16, 2:20 p.m. update with the latest storm information.

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ West Hawaiʻi (Hawaiʻi Island)
Classes and activities at the on Hawaiʻi Island are canceled for Friday, October 17 and Saturday, October 18 and the center will be closed.

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ East Hawaiʻi (Hawaiʻi Island)
, and (NHERC) will remain open and classes will meet Friday, with the exception of the Hawaiʻi Community College Motorcycle Training class on Saturday, which is canceled.

However, conditions are unpredictable and should they require other closures, we will inform you through a ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ alert.

All Other Campuses
At this stage, all other campuses remain open and classes will be conducted as scheduled. Please visit the or your campus homepage for updates.

The University of Hawaiʻi is monitoring Tropical Storm Ana and working closely with state and county officials to anticipate its possible impact on Hawaiʻi.

Decisions on the cancellation of classes and activities will be made by individual campuses. Please go to your campus website for the latest information.

Updates will be provided as needed at and the .

Disaster preparedness information may be found at:

• Disaster Preparedness Section of your local telephone book

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ campuses and facilities on Hawaiʻi Island were thankfully spared the brunt of Tropical Cyclone Iselle, but many of their friends and neighbors—especially in the Puna area—are still dealing with the aftermath, including structural damage to homes, lack of power and water and impeded road access.

Residents around Honokaʻa who want to donate to the Iselle relief effort can bring items to the (NHERC), about 40 miles north of Hilo.

Suggestions for donations:

• Toiletries
• Drinking water
• Toilet paper
• Towels
• Blankets
• Tarps
• Batteries
• Non-perishable food

“What’s really great about this effort is that it’s community-driven,” said Stacie Higgens, an academic support specialist at NHERC. “It’s volunteers rallying for our sister communities on the Big Island.”

Collection location and hours

North Hawaiʻi Education and Research Center
45-539 Plumeria Street
Honokaʻa, HI 96727

Hours for drop-off are 7:45 am to 4:30 pm.

Email, or call NHERC at (808)775-8890 for more information.

NHERC is not able to accept donations of ice, but the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources’ in Hilo is accepting both ice and water. Please for more information.

More ways to help

People living outside of the area may want to consider monetary donations to an established relief organization instead.

Cash donations are the best way to immediately help recovery efforts on the Big Island and other areas impacted by Iselle, according to a State of Hawaiʻi (PDF).

The Emergency Management Agency suggests cash donations be directed to the and the .

People looking to volunteer are encouraged to directly contact local relief agencies to identify needs of individuals and communities impacted by Iselle.

—By Jeela Ongley

For the safety of students, faculty and staff, the University of Hawaiʻi is closing all campuses on Oʻahu and Kauaʻi on Friday, August 8, 2014 in anticipation of severe weather caused by Hurricane Iselle.

Currently Oʻahu, Kauaʻi County and Maui County are under tropical storm warnings. Hawaiʻi Island is under a hurricane warning.

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Hilo and Hawaiʻi Community College, along with its West Hawaiʻi Education Center on Hawaiʻi Island are closed today, August 7th and Friday, August 8th due to potentially dangerous weather conditions.

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Maui College and its Education Centers in Hana and Lahaina and on Molokaʻi and ³¢Äå²Ô²¹ʻ¾± will close at noon on today, August 7th and all day Friday, August 8th. Weekend operations will also be suspended.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and Hawaiʻi Community College, along with its West Hawai‘i Education Center on Hawaiʻi Island will be closed all day on Thursday, August 7 and Friday, August 8 due to anticipated severe weather caused by Hurricanes Iselle and Julio.

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Maui College and its Education Centers in Hana and Lahaina and on Molokaʻi and Lanaʻi will close at noon on Thursday, August 7 and all day Friday, August 8. Weekend operations will also be suspended.

The university continues to monitor the situation and will decide the status of its remaining campuses on Oʻahu and Kauaʻi on Thursday.

As of Friday afternoon, June 22, power has been restored to almost all of the campus at .

Classes are scheduled to resume on Monday, June 25. All campus offices will be open and staff should report to work as normal.

A skeleton crew was on campus Friday as the final steps were taken by both the electricians and the air conditioning crew to get all buildings back up to full power.

Events scheduled for Friday, June 22, were cancelled, including New Student Orientation and evening shows at both the and .

Events scheduled at Palikū Theatre for Saturday and Sunday, June 23–24, will be held as scheduled.

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Windward Community College’s for the latest updates.

Classes at have been cancelled from Wednesday, June 20, through Friday, June 22. The campus will reopen for classes on Monday, June 25.

A blown fuse has caused a power outage affecting the whole campus and a part needed for repair is being shipped from the mainland. The campus is working with an electrician and HECO to address the issue.

In the meantime, a limited power supply is available and being rerouted to maintain refrigeration requirements for laboratories and the campus cafeteria.

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ emergency information webpage for the latest updates.