Hawaiʻi Island got a soggy wake-up call early Sunday as a Flood Advisory stayed in effect into the pre-dawn hours, with bands of heavy rain marching across the island’s southeast slopes from Volcano down to Nāʻālehu. Radar picked up pockets of intense showers overnight, and forecasters said more rain was expected to slide in from the west. Local officials warned drivers to expect ponding on roadways, rising streams and brief road closures through the night, urging residents in low-lying and drainage-prone spots to stay alert and steer clear of flooded streets.
According to a late-night advisory from the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, the Flood Advisory for Hawaiʻi Island was scheduled to remain in effect until 2:15 a.m. HST on Sunday (3/22). The agency said radar had indicated heavy rain over the southeast slopes from Volcano to Nāʻālehu and reminded the public that its social media feeds are not monitored around the clock, stressing that anyone facing an emergency should call 9-1-1.
Rain Focused On Southeast Slopes
Forecasters at the National Weather Service in Honolulu showed flood advisories and radar returns clustered over the Big Island’s southeast-facing slopes, where steep terrain and short, fast-running streams can translate heavy showers into quick runoff. The NWS cautioned that water over roadways and in poorly drained areas can make travel hazardous and that some low-water crossings may turn impassable when those intense bands move through. Officials repeated the familiar warning to “turn around, don’t drown,” urging drivers not to roll the dice by heading into standing or moving floodwater.
What Locals Should Do
County and state emergency crews advised residents to stay off flooded roads unless travel is absolutely essential, move to higher ground if needed and keep emergency numbers close at hand. The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency again emphasized that life-threatening situations call for a 9-1-1 call and that social media posts are not a substitute for emergency services, since accounts may not be monitored 24/7. Motorists were told to be ready for short-term road closures in low-lying communities until floodwaters have a chance to recede.
Statewide Context
The advisory on Hawaiʻi Island is part of a wider wet pattern tied to a larger storm system that has brought heavy rain to multiple islands this week, prompting evacuations and rescue operations in some locations, according to the Associated Press. Officials across several counties have been coordinating their response, watching retention basins and tracking road closures as additional bands of rain continue to sweep across the state.
For the latest watches, warnings and road-status updates, residents are urged to check the National Weather Service in Honolulu and the County of Hawaiʻi Civil Defense pages and to sign up for local alert systems where they are available. Anyone who encounters rapidly rising or fast-flowing water is advised to treat it as dangerous and call 9-1-1 for immediate help.
