HIDOE campuses just closed March 13 because of another Kona storm
Posted: March 20, 2026
Following Gov. Josh Green’s directive issued late Friday morning in response to heavy rains and flooding impacting O‘ahu, the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education closed all HIDOE offices and campuses on O‘ahu. The department made that announcement shortly before noon Friday.
The Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association planned to close its Honolulu headquarters offices at 2 p.m. Friday, in alignment with the closure of Oʻahu school facilities.
Public schools statewide are on spring break this week, so students and teachers were not scheduled to be on campus. School offices will also be closed on Friday.
The decision was made out of an abundance of caution due to concerns related to flooding, road conditions and potential power outages across multiple communities, the HIDOE said.
School extracurricular activities will also be canceled on Friday. Proms scheduled for March 20 will be decided on a case-by-case basis by school administrators, depending on the weather in the event area.
Schools and HIDOE offices on Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i Island, and in Maui County will maintain normal operations at this time, the state education department said.
This closure applies only to the current severe weather event on this date, the department said. The HIDOE will continue to monitor conditions in coordination with state and emergency management officials and will share updates through official channels as information becomes available.
Forecasts from the National Weather Service indicate a prolonged period of heavy rain that will continue possibly through Sunday, with flash flooding and severe thunderstorms across the state.
Meteorologists warn that rainfall could lead to flooding of roads, streams and poorly draining areas, particularly on smaller islands and leeward areas. Strong winds and thunderstorms may also create hazardous travel conditions and possible power disruptions.
At 11:30 a.m. Friday, the governor announced the closure of all state departments and the release of employees not considered disaster response and preparedness workers on O‘ahu, effective immediately, due to severe weather conditions impacting the island.
Just a week ago, on March 13, HIDOE closed all school facilities and offices across the state because of a Kona storm that brought strong winds, heavy rain, and power outages.