HILO, HI — Tropical Depression Moke has weakened as it passes south of the Big Island, but the weather threat is far from over. The National Hurricane Center said Monday could still bring 3 to 6 more inches of rain, keeping a flood watch in place through Monday afternoon.
At 5 p.m. Sunday, Moke was about 335 miles south-southwest of Hilo with maximum sustained winds near 35 mph and moving west at 14 mph. Forecasters said gusty winds will continue to reach parts of Hawaii Island, and additional flooding or mudslide impacts remain possible in steep terrain.
Flooding and road hazards remain the main concern
Officials warned that the heaviest rain could fall on windward and southeast parts of the Big Island, especially in areas that are already soaked from Hurricane Lala. The National Hurricane Center said those rainfall totals may cause life-threatening flooding and mudslides, making already vulnerable slopes and drainage areas even more dangerous.
Hawaii County Civil Defense told residents in flood-prone neighborhoods to stay alert for additional flooding impacts. The county also said power and communication outages should be expected, along with hazardous road conditions. Access to Pāhala and Waiʻōhinu/Nāʻālehu through Highway 11 remains limited to local traffic and disaster response.
Moke is forecast to keep weakening and is expected to become a remnant low pressure system by Tuesday as it moves well south of the rest of the Hawaiian Islands. Until then, officials are urging people to avoid unnecessary risks and follow updates from local emergency and weather agencies.
Shelters, bus service and travel changes already in place
Two shelters were open Sunday night into Monday in Hawaii County, both operating on generator power: Nāʻālehu Elementary School gym and Robert N. Herkes Gym in Pāhala. Officials said anyone using a shelter should bring food, water, sleeping bags and needed medication. Pets are allowed, but must stay in a carrier.
Hot showers are available at Robert N. Herkes Gym, and people are asked to bring their own towels and hygiene items. On the transportation side, Hele-On bus routes 2, 10, 12 and 90 were canceled, along with two Route 75 trips. Other fixed routes were expected to run as scheduled, though delays, detours and cancellations could happen without warning.
The Hilo park-and-ride site on Kamehameha Avenue will move to the Kuawa Park parking lot if flooding affects the area. Residents were also told to monitor local radio, the county Civil Defense website and the Hawaii County hazard map for the latest conditions and closures.
Statewide operations stay open as agencies watch the storm
Governor Josh Green said state and county crews are ready to respond and urged people to stay alert and avoid unnecessary danger as Moke moves through the region. State parks that were already closed because of Hurricane Lala will stay shut through the weekend, while several others remain open but could close if conditions worsen.
Small boat harbors and restrooms remain open, and vessel groundings are to be reported to the state Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation. Hawaii health officials said hospitals, EMS and air medical services are operating normally statewide, while the Medical Operations Coordination Center continues to monitor 9-1-1, emergency medical transport and hospital capacity.
The University of Hawaii said it is monitoring the storm as the fall semester begins Monday across all 10 university and community college campuses. Residents were directed to the National Weather Service Honolulu forecast office for community-specific updates, watches and warnings.
When the weather turns dangerous, SVH Snow is watching.
