All park facilities, roads, and trails reopened yesterday except for the Na‘ulu Trail and Napau Trail east of Pu‘u Huluhlulu and Hilina Pali Road at the Mauna Iki Trailhead. The threat of severe weather – wind, rain, and surf – prompted the park’s closure late Tuesday afternoon and the release of those employees not essential to emergency operations. Hurricane Flossie loomed 150 miles southeast of the island of Hawai‘i, moving west–northwest at about 8 mph. Flossie packed sustained winds near 100 mph. High winds and thunderstorms were expected as Flossie passed south of the island, and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center issued both a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning. In response, Hawai‘i Volcanoes put ICS into effect. Rangers swept and closed roads, trails, and campgrounds; maintenance crews taped plate glass windows and secured items easily airborne; and interpreters posted signs informing visitors of the impending hazards. At 5 a.m. yesterday morning, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center cancelled the tropical storm warning for the island of Hawai‘i. The park suffered no apparent weather damage.
