A powerful hurricane is closing in on Hawaii while daily life on Oahu carries on — dangerous for beachgoers, but mostly good news elsewhere.

• Hurricane Iona is a category 4 storm with winds of 155 mph, sitting a few hundred miles southeast of Hilo and possibly strengthening to category 5.
• Big swells are already reaching the islands, bringing life-threatening surf and rip currents — check with lifeguards before going in.
• Oahu's Skyline rail hit a record for weekday riders as students went back to school and commuters tried to dodge west side traffic.
• Reservations to tour Utah's newly renovated Salt Lake Temple hit 1 million in one day; free tours run April to October 2027, the first public access since 1893.
• Hawaii's hotel industry, which supports over 222,000 local jobs, was honored on National Hotel Employee Day, and Sea Life Park is now free for residents through the end of the year.

Outlook: The storm track is still being watched closely, so expect rough surf and possible rain across the islands over the next few days.