Wind Advisory Continues on Big Island; Hawaiian Electric Warns Possible Power Shutoffs

Hawaiian Electric warned residents that strong gusts in West Maui and North and South Kohala could force proactive Public Safety Power Shutoffs if weather and drought conditions align, laying out a three-part threshold for action. In a Feb. 18 press release the utility said its PSPS criteria require "persistent drought conditions, wind gusts 45 mph and higher, and relative humidity below 45%," and noted it was "continuously tracking weather conditions that may affect its service territories."

The utility’s public messaging on Feb. 18 included differing advisory expiration times across platforms. Hawaiian Electric’s press release said a wind advisory remained "in effect through 6 a.m. Thursday," while the company’s Facebook post at 2:30 p.m. HST on Feb. 18 said the advisory "remains in effect until 6 p.m. tonight." HawaiiNewsNow reported the advisory as ending at "6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18," and the Hawaii Tribune-Herald posted an update at 10 a.m. extending the advisory "until 6 p.m. today." Those time differences reflect rolling updates as conditions changed that day.

Hawaiian Electric outlined operational steps it had taken in the PSPS watch. The company said on Facebook, "We’ve deployed spotters to monitor conditions and look out for any fire risks. We’re coordinating with state and county emergency response officials." The Feb. 18 press release reiterated that the utility was "continually tracking weather conditions" and urged "customers in all communities with high exposure to wildfire risk" to begin emergency planning.

The utility stressed that current outages reported across islands were not the product of PSPS actions. The Feb. 18 press release stated explicitly, "Any current outages are not related to the company’s PSPS program." Island News’ video posted Feb. 17, 2026, reported that "thousands of customers have lost power as strong winds knock down trees and send debris into power lines," and that civil defense advisories for North and South Kohala urged residents to "prepare for outages, drive with caution, and be aware of debris down trees and utility lines."

Meteorological context amplified the fire risk in leeward zones. Hawaiian Electric said, "The strongest wind gusts today are being recorded in various parts of Maui, including Upcountry, Central and West Maui, as well as North and South Kohala on Hawaii Island, especially along leeward slopes and valleys where winds tend to accelerate and dry out vegetation as they move downhill." The Hawaii Tribune-Herald cited the National Weather Service definition that "A Wind Advisory means sustained winds of at least 30 mph and/or frequent gusts of at least 50 mph are expected."

Hawaiian Electric warned that PSPS decisions remained conditional and subject to rapid change. The utility wrote in its press release, "PSPS determinations can change at any time based on weather conditions," and added, "If necessary, Hawaiian Electric may implement its Public Safety Power Shutoff program and proactively shut off power in communities with high exposure to wildfire risk." For maps and preparedness resources the company directed customers to its PSPS page and provided a toll-free PSPS hotline at 1-844-483-8666.