Electronics Warning Issued to Hundreds of Thousands in This State

Newsweek

3 hours ago

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologists are urging hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors across Hawaii to move electronics to higher ground as afternoon high tides pose a coastal flooding hazard over the next three days.
Why It Matters
The coastal flood statement covers much of Maui County and the Big Island. The NWS's explicit mention of electronics and vehicle safety underscores the threat that even minor, short-term flooding poses to essential property and infrastructure. Coastal erosion, saltwater inundation, and flood damage can be amplified during events like king tides—abnormally high tides that expose low-lying areas to unexpected hazards.
What To Know
The NWS coastal hazard message, effective from 6 a.m. HST Thursday through Saturday afternoon, identified the risk of "isolated minor coastal flooding" along flood-prone, low-lying shoreline areas.
A stock photo shows a man on his phone.
A stock photo shows a man on his phone.
Jacob Wackerhausen/Getty
The warning was issued as afternoon high tides coincided with water levels roughly half a foot higher than predicted, and a "large south swell" contributed to coastal inundation. According to the agency, the greatest impacts are expected during the peak afternoon high tides from Thursday through Saturday, with water levels forecast to subside by Sunday.
The advisory covered a broad array of Hawaiian forecast zones, including Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Kahoolawe, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, and the Big Island, identifying both urban and rural communities as at risk. The NWS expected "flooding of beaches that are normally dry, minor coastal erosion, and saltwater inundation," potentially exposing electronics and vehicles to corrosive conditions.
Precautionary guidance from the NWS advised residents to "move electronics, vehicles, or other valuables to higher ground" and avoid driving through flooded roadways. Those who must pass through saltwater were encouraged to rinse their vehicles thoroughly with fresh water.
The agency also asked boat owners to monitor vessel mooring lines and prevent overtightening as water levels fluctuate, as well as to secure canoes and watercraft stored on beaches. The public was invited to support scientific research by submitting flooding observations to the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program's King Tides Project.
Newsweek reached out to the King Tides Project by email for comment.
What People Are Saying
NWS Honolulu in a coastal flood advisory: "Peak afternoon high tides, combined with elevated water levels running about a half a foot higher than predicted and a large south swell filling in, will lead to minor flooding along shoreline and low lying coastal areas through Saturday. Water levels should fall below thresholds during peak afternoon high tides Sunday."
The King Tides Project, on a webpage: "King Tides, or the highest high tides of the year, are a unique coastal hazard. The timing of these extreme water level events can be anticipated through the use of tidal predictions yet their impacts (e.g., coastal flooding and inundation in low lying areas) can have devastating consequences for coastal inhabitants, particularly when combined with severe weather or high wave events."
What Happens Next
The NWS anticipates that coastal water levels will drop below flooding thresholds after Saturday's afternoon high tides, with conditions anticipated to improve by Sunday. Until then, residents and visitors are urged to maintain precautions and remain attentive to weather updates.