Heavy rain refused to clock out Tuesday night on Hawaiʻi Island, prompting the National Weather Service to extend a flood advisory for downslope areas of Puna and Kaʻū until 11:15 p.m. HST. Radar and automated gauges were clocking rainfall at roughly 1 to 2 inches per hour, and stream gauges near Pāhala showed sharp rises, raising the risk of flooded roads and low-lying spots.
According to the National Weather Service, the advisory, in effect for the island of Hawaiʻi, warned of "minor flooding on roads, poor drainage areas, and in streams" and was kept in place as heavy bands parked over downslope portions of Kaʻū and Puna. Forecasters said rain was falling at rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour and noted the advisory could be extended beyond 11:15 p.m. if flooding did not let up.
Big Island Now reported that the Pāʻauhau Gulch river gauge near Pāhala showed significant rises, and singled out communities that could feel the impacts, from Hawaiian Paradise Park and Pāhoa down through Pāhala and Nāʻālehu. Local officials urged residents to steer clear of streams, drainage ditches and other low-lying areas as the unstable weather pattern continues.
Statewide risk and forecast
The advisory folds into a broader Flood Watch that covers all islands from Wednesday through Friday, as a developing kona-low pattern pulls deep tropical moisture northward. Maui Now notes that forecasters expect repeated bands of locally heavy rain that could drop several inches on already saturated ground, boosting the odds of rapid runoff and landslides.
How to stay safe
Officials are urging residents to stay away from streams, drainage ditches and other low-lying areas and to never drive through moving water. The National Weather Service bulletin repeats that guidance and says the advisory may be extended if flooding continues. For the latest word on road closures and shelters, check Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense alerts and sign up for Everbridge messages. Call 9-1-1 for life-threatening emergencies and follow directions from local authorities.
