Hawaii Island residents hunkered down Thursday evening under a flash flood watch, wind advisory and high surf warning.
Rainfall associated with Erick, formerly a hurricane and since downgraded to a tropical storm, began Wednesday morning, according to Vanessa Almanza, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Honolulu.
“The precipitable water field around Erick is rather large,” said Almanza, who explained that the term “precipitable water” means an atmospheric field of moisture with the potential to become rain.
As of 1:45 p.m. Thursday, the gauge at Hilo International Airport measured 2.36 inches of rain for the prior 24 hours.
Almanza said the forecast 4 to 8 inches of rainfall from Erick could materialize, “and there could be higher amounts in localized areas.”
The storm was making its pass by the Big Island well to the south early Thursday evening.
As of 5 p.m., the center of the storm was about 265 miles south of Hilo, with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph. Erick was moving west-northwest at 13 mph.
Punaluu and Whittington beach parks in Ka‘u and Isaac Hale Beach Park (Pohoiki) in Puna remain closed until further notice. All camping permits and pavilion rentals for these parks were cancelled through the weekend.
South Point Road was restricted to resident traffic only.
The Bayfront parking lot in downtown Hilo has been closed, and the county’s Hele On bus Hilo terminus was moved from Mooheau Bus Terminal to the rear of Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium for the time being.
Unless renewed by the National Weather Service, the high surf warning is set to expire at 6 a.m. today.
Erick’s passing and the high surf warning associated with the storm coincided with extremely high tides known as “king tides,” which caused flooding in some coastal areas, including Lili‘uokalani Park and Gardens on Hilo’s Waiakea Peninsula.
The wind advisory is in effect until 6 p.m. today. Forecasters warn of the potential of easterly winds of 20-45 mph with localized gusts more than 45 mph.
“Winds this strong are capable of downing trees and causing power outages,” the advisory states.
Meanwhile, still in the Eastern Pacific, Tropical Storm Flossie strengthened just a bit late Thursday.
At 5 p.m., the center of the storm was about 1,350 miles east of Hilo with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph, just below hurricane strength. According to forecasters, Flossie has the potential to become a hurricane overnight before gradual weakening by late today.
Tropical-storm-force winds extended outward up to 115 miles from the center.
The storm is moving to the west-northwest at 18 mph. The northward turn will take it somewhat to the east of the Big Island should the current track hold.
On the current forecast track, Flossie should enter the Central Pacific basin sometime this afternoon.
Almanza said Flossie is “still a bit far away” to predict the direct impacts the storm might have on the Big Island.
“But you can anticipate tropical storm conditions and should still be prepared,” she said.
Flossie is expected to gradually weaken during the next two to three days, but the storm’s current forecast track has it coming closest to the northeastern part of the Big Island early Monday.
The county Department of Public Works announced that sand is available at locations throughout the island so residents can make their own sandbags to fend off possible flooding from the two tropical storms.
The sand is available only while supplies last and locations are on a map at https://arcg.is/1PjSq1.
Empty jute sandbags are available at a variety of hardware and home improvement supply stores across the island, and can be filled with sand or soil.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.