All state offices, University of Hawaii campuses and public schools including charter schools on Oahu, Kauai and Maui will be closed Friday as a strong storm system and high winds continue to pound the state, Gov. Josh Green and other state officials announced today Opens in a new tab.

“An incredible amount of rain is coming with very high certainty,” Green said. “We hope it’s not even more than we’ve been projecting. There could be some lulls to this storm — and that means even more rain, even more threats to public safety, so we’re just trying to be very, very safe.”

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Employees affected by the statewide closure should not report to work and will be granted administrative leave. The essential workers include departmental disaster and emergency coordinators, disaster response workers and employees whose work are involved in critical operations and services such as hospital and correctional workers.

Green said the state Legislature will be closed Friday along with the state courthouses, while court operations will be suspended Friday on Oahu, Maui, Molokai and Lanai. Green said no determination has been made on Hawaii island closures yet.

“Don’t be on the roads if you can help it,” Green said.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated as more information becomes available.