Update: Flood watch canceled, Wood Valley and Ka‘ala‘iki roads reopen

9:07 p.m. update on Jan. 9: Flooding is no longer expected to pose a threat. Therefore the flood watch has been canceled for the Big Island.

Wood Valley Road (below of the temple) as well as Ka‘ala‘iki Road (just above of Nā‘ālehu Cemetery) are now open.

5:49 p.m. update on Jan. 9: The National Weather Service has let the flood advisory for Hawai‘i Island expire.

However, the flood watch will remain in effect through Wednesday morning.

Traffic delays on Highway 11 near mile marker 92 in South Kona will continue into the evening due to repairs to utility lines.

3:58 p.m. update on Jan. 9: The National Weather Service canceled the wind advisory for West Hawai‘i, extended the flood watch for Hawai‘i Island through tonight, and extended the flood advisory for the following districts: Ka‘ū, North Kohala, North Kona, Puna, South Kohala and South Kona through 5:30 p.m. 

The east end of Wood Valley Road (below the temple), as well as Ka‘ala‘iki Road (just above Nā‘ālehu Cemetery), are closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic due to flooding and fast-flowing water.

Highway 11 remains open at this time. 

12:25 p.m. update on Jan. 9: A flood advisory for portions of Hawai‘i Island was extended till 3:30 p.m.

At 12:13 p.m., radar indicated heavy showers continuing to move onto South Kona, Ka‘ū, and Puna from the south with rain rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour. Emergency management
reported that Ka‘alaiki Road above Nā‘ālehu and Pāhala is closed due to water on the roadway.

Moderate rain and isolated heavy showers are falling over the remainder of leeward Big Island.

9:21 a.m. update on Jan. 9: The flood advisory on the Big Island has been extended until 12:30 p.m.

A portion of Highway 11 near mile marker 92 in the South Kona District is closded in both directions due to a fallen utility pole and Mahukona Warf in North Kohala District is closed due to flooding.  Additional closures may occur without warning.

At 9:15 a.m., radar indicated heavy showers continuing to move onto Ka‘ū and Puna from the south with rain rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour. Moderate rain and isolated heavy showers are falling over the Kona and Kohala Districts.

Original post: A flood advisory is in effect for several areas of the Big Island, stretching from North Kona to Puna. According to the National Weather Service, the advisory is in place till 9:30 a.m.

A flood watch is also in effect for the Big Island until 6 p.m.

At 6:28 a.m., radar indicated heavy showers moving onto Ka‘ū and Puna from the south and falling at rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour. Additional rainfall will develop over the Kona and Kohala Districts during the next couple of hours.

Some locations that will experience flooding include:

• Kailua-Kona
• Hawaiian Paradise Park
• Captain Cook
• Waikōloa Village
• Pōhakuloa Training Area
• Wood Valley
• Hōnaunau
• Pāhala
• Kealakekua
• Kainaliu
• Honalo
• Volcano
• Punalu‘u Beach
• Hōlualoa
• Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park
• Kawa Flats
• Kahalu‘u-Keauhou
• Glenwood
• Pu‘uanahulu
• Nā‘ālehu

Stay away from streams, drainage ditches and low-lying areas prone to flooding. This advisory may need to be extended beyond 9:30 a.m. if flooding persists.