Box jellyfish arrival closes Hanauma Bay
An influx of box jellyfish Saturday prompted the city to close Hanauma Bay.
According to Ocean Safety spokeswoman Shayne Enright, lifeguards counted more than 50 box jellyfish onshore and more than 30 people were stung.
Ocean Safety officials will re-evaluate the beach today to determine if it should be closed another day.
Beachgoers going to other south shore beaches on Oahu should also exercise caution.
New cold front heralds more showers
Forecasters are predicting increased showers, and possibly thunderstorms, as a new cold front moves in from the northwest.
Showers were expected to fall over Kauai overnight, reaching Oahu and Maui County by today.
The front is expected to stall and weaken over the Big Island on Monday and Tuesday as an upper trough passes over the state, bringing heavy showers and thunderstorms.
Tradewinds are expected to return briefly at midweek before another front brings more showers toward the end of the week. Temperatures are expected to linger in the mid- to upper 60s.
Meanwhile, a high-surf warning is in effect for north and west shores of Oahu, Kauai, Molokai and Niihau and for north shores of Maui through 6 a.m. Monday due to a large northwest swell. Surf along north shores could reach 25 to 30 feet today — and 18 to 22 feet on west-facing shores.
Noise to pick up for war games
Military war games will generate aircraft noise near Lihue and Barking Sands, Kauai, through Friday, the Army has announced.
The drills, called Koa Kai 14-1, began Saturday and are scheduled to end at 11 p.m. Friday, but the Army said those dates could change. Flight operations begin at 6 a.m. each day.
Overcast skies could increase noise and vibrations, the Army warned.
While the Army said in a statement it "appreciates the community’s understanding," it also said complaints can be filed via the U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii noise concern line at 656-3487. The garrison’s public affairs office will respond during regular business hours, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Koa Kai is a semiannual exercise designed to prepare units for deployment and provide training in a multiship environment. Participants include the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, part of the 25th Infantry Division; the Pearl Harbor-based guided missile cruisers Port Royal, Lake Erie and Chosin; the guided missile destroyers Michael Murphy, Halsey, Chung-Hoon and O’Kane; the Hawaii Air National Guard; and various submarines and patrol aircraft.
Tenting to close library on Kauai
Hanapepe Public Library will close for a scheduled tent fumigation project Feb. 14-17, the state has announced. The book drop will be inaccessible starting at 8 p.m. Feb. 13 and for the duration of the project.
While the library is closed, patrons may visit other branches at Waimea, Koloa, Lihue, Kapaa and Princeville. Patrons can also log on to the website, www. librarieshawaii.org, to renew books and browse the catalog.
If there are no delays in the project, the library will reopen at 9 a.m. Feb. 18.
