Whether Wahiawa Dam was safe or about to fail was top of mind throughout these storms. It became a flashpoint for what officials now acknowledge were "mixed messages" about the risk.

Wahiawa Dam looms over central Oahu on Friday, March 20, 2026, as officials warn of a possible failure that could send floodwaters toward communities along the North Shore.

Owner Dole Food Company Hawaii said in a statement, “These thresholds are intentionally conservative and based on the time required to safely evacuate downstream areas; they do not reflect a loss of structural integrity.

: 11:10 a.m. All of Oahu is now covered by the National Weather Service’s updated flash flood warning until 2 p.m. today, and a flash flood emergency is ongoing for northern areas of the

Honolulu city officials said this morning that water levels remain consistent at Wahiawa Dam so the evacuation notice for the area has been lifted.

Oʻahu officials put residents on edge Friday night after a county HNL Alert warned that Wahiawā Dam might be at risk of failing, with the potential for catastrophic flooding downstream. The alert told people in low-lying North Shore neighborhoods to head for higher ground and follow directions from local emergency crews as heavy rain marched across the island.

Hawaii's new round of Kona low weather is testing nerves on Oʻahu’s North Shore, where Wahiawā Dam remains under close watch.