Tropical Storm Moke is moving toward Hawaiʻi with its center forecast to pass south of the Big Island on Sunday. The storm weakened slightly Saturday afternoon, but the traveler risk is rising because its moisture is expected to bring heavy rain to ground that is already saturated after Hurricane Lala.
For visitors, the most important change is already concrete: Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is closed, all park programs are canceled, and a Big Island flood watch begins at midnight HST. Travelers should treat Sunday and Monday as flexible days, confirm every reservation directly, and avoid driving toward a closed park or across flood prone roads to salvage an itinerary.
- Storm position: About 360 miles south southeast of Hilo at 5 p.m. HST Saturday.
- Strength: Maximum sustained winds near 45 mph, moving west at 14 mph.
- Big Island rain: 5 to 10 inches, with isolated totals up to 15 inches possible.
- Park status: Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and the Kahuku Unit are temporarily closed.
- Traveler window: Heavy rain begins late Saturday and the flood watch continues through Monday afternoon.
What the latest Moke advisory says
The Central Pacific Hurricane Center’s 5 p.m. HST advisory placed Moke near 15.3 degrees north and 152.1 degrees west, roughly 360 miles south southeast of Hilo. Maximum sustained winds had eased to 45 mph, while tropical storm force winds extended as far as 115 miles from the center.
Moke was moving west at 14 mph. Forecasters expect the center to pass south of the Big Island on Sunday and then remain well south of the smaller main Hawaiian Islands early next week, with gradual weakening forecast to begin Sunday.
That track does not remove the land threat. The storm’s broad moisture field is expected to reach the islands even if the center remains offshore, which is why the rainfall forecast matters more to most travelers than the exact line drawn through the ocean.
The hurricane center expects 5 to 10 inches across the Big Island, with maximum amounts of 15 inches. Eastern Maui could receive 3 to 6 inches, while western Maui and the rest of the islands may receive 1 to 2 inches as tropical moisture is pulled north.
Why the Big Island faces the sharper travel risk
The National Weather Service flood watch covers the Big Island from midnight HST through Monday afternoon. It warns that windward and southeast slopes could see flash flooding as heavy rain runs across already wet terrain.
Flood prone roads and low lying areas may close as streams rise. Rapid runoff can also affect urban areas, so the practical concern is not limited to remote hiking trails or backcountry drives.
Recent rain from Lala lowered the amount of additional water needed to create trouble. A road that looks passable early Sunday can change quickly, and a rental car is not protection against moving water, falling branches, or a mudslide on a steep route.
A wind advisory is also in effect for parts of Maui County and the Big Island through 6 p.m. HST Sunday. The weather service expects east northeast winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 55 mph, strongest around ridges, gaps, and downslope areas.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is closed
The National Park Service closed Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, including the Kahuku Unit, by 5 p.m. Friday. The park says it remains without normal power, internet, and phone service after Lala, while emergency services and air quality monitoring are limited.
All park programs are canceled during the storm safety closure. Overnight guests with existing reservations at Volcano House and Kilauea Military Camp may be allowed access under the park’s stated exception, but they must shelter in place once the closure is in effect.
The closure has an unusual second layer. The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory says the next Kīlauea fountaining episode could begin between Saturday and Wednesday, yet the park may remain closed if volcanic activity overlaps with the storm.
Visitors should not drive toward the entrance hoping an eruption will create an exception. The park says Highway 11 between the entrance and Kaʻū may be restricted to area residents if an eruption and the storm overlap, a measure intended to keep nonessential traffic off the road.
Deep Arrival’s Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park guide remains useful for rebuilding a later visit, but the live NPS alert is the authority for reopening. A saved itinerary, tour confirmation, or old operating-hours screenshot does not override the closure.
What to do with Big Island flights and hotel plans
The latest hurricane center advisory does not announce an airport closure, and travelers should not assume that every flight to Hilo or Kona will cancel. The right move is to check the operating airline and airport status before leaving for the terminal, then keep notifications enabled through the travel day.
Hilo faces the wetter side of the island and is closer to the windward rainfall focus, while Kona can still experience weather, road, and supply effects even when conditions differ locally. Deep Arrival’s Kona versus Hilo planning guide explains the normal geographic tradeoff, but it should not be used as a promise that one coast will stay unaffected during Moke.
If a hotel is open, ask a precise question before canceling: is the property accessible from the airport, are power and water operating normally, and are the activities you booked still running? A general answer that the resort is open does not confirm the road to it or the tour leaving from it.
Travelers holding separate hotel, air, car, and tour reservations should contact each provider. One operator may offer a weather waiver while another follows its normal cancellation terms, and waiting until after a no show can reduce the options available.
How to rebuild a Sunday or Monday itinerary
Start by removing Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park from the active plan until NPS posts a reopening. Then eliminate waterfalls, valleys, steep trails, stream crossings, exposed coastal stops, and long rural drives whenever official warnings or local closures apply.
Do not replace one closed outdoor attraction with another simply because it is on the opposite side of the island. Check the latest county, state park, beach, road, and weather notices for the exact place before moving the day there.
If conditions and officials allow local movement, use flexible indoor activities close to the hotel rather than building a cross island rescue mission. Deep Arrival’s Big Island things to do guide can help identify alternatives, but every outdoor stop still needs a same day operating check.
Keep one fully uncommitted day later in the trip if possible. That buffer is more valuable than stacking refundable and nonrefundable replacement bookings while a flood watch is active.
Road, beach, and trail decisions during Moke
Never drive through floodwater or around a barricade. Water can hide a washed out shoulder, carry a vehicle, or leave a driver stranded far from emergency help at the same time first responders are handling higher priority calls.
Strong wind can bring down branches and make high profile vehicles harder to control. Secure outdoor gear at a vacation rental, avoid parking under weak trees, and do not treat a scenic overlook as safe merely because rain has paused.
Ocean conditions can worsen away from the storm center as swell and wind reach the coast. Before snorkeling, swimming, or taking a small boat, check lifeguard, harbor, operator, and official ocean-safety notices rather than relying on the view from a hotel balcony.
Travelers should also prepare for intermittent power or cellular service. Download confirmation numbers, maps, airline contacts, and the hotel address before leaving Wi-Fi, and keep devices charged without driving solely to find a signal.
| If your plan includes | Best move now |
|---|---|
| Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Sunday or Monday | Remove it from the itinerary and wait for an official NPS reopening notice. |
| A Hilo arrival during the flood watch | Keep the flight status active and confirm airport to hotel road access before departure. |
| A Kona resort stay | Ask the property about utilities, access roads, and booked activities rather than assuming normal operations. |
| A waterfall, trail, or stream crossing | Skip it while warnings or local closures apply and choose a close indoor alternative. |
| A flexible multi-day Big Island trip | Hold one later buffer day for the park and avoid paying twice for rushed replacements. |
- Highest immediate risk: Windward and southeast Big Island flooding from late Saturday through Monday.
- Confirmed closure: Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, the Kahuku Unit, and all park programs.
- Do not infer: No coastal tropical storm warning does not mean roads, parks, or flights will operate normally.
- Next verification: Check the newest hurricane center advisory, NWS warnings, NPS alert, airline status, and hotel access.
- Best flexibility: Keep Sunday and Monday plans refundable and geographically close to the lodging base.
Moke’s center is forecast to stay south of the islands, but travelers should plan around the rain field, wind, and official closures rather than the center line alone. Keep the trip flexible, stay off flooded roads, and wait for verified reopening notices before returning to the park.
Is Tropical Storm Moke expected to make landfall in Hawaiʻi?
The 5 p.m. HST Saturday forecast keeps the center south of the Big Island on Sunday, then well south of the smaller main islands. Heavy rain and gusty winds can still affect land without a direct center crossing.
How much rain could the Big Island receive?
Forecasters expect 5 to 10 inches across the Big Island, with isolated maximum amounts near 15 inches. Saturated ground increases the flash flood and mudslide concern.
Is Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park open?
No. The National Park Service temporarily closed the entire park, including the Kahuku Unit, and canceled programs during the storm safety closure.
Are Hilo and Kona airports closed?
The cited storm and park notices do not announce a blanket airport closure. Check the exact airline and airport status because conditions and individual flights can change quickly.
When does the Big Island flood watch end?
The current National Weather Service watch runs from midnight HST Saturday night through Monday afternoon. A watch can be updated, extended, or replaced by more urgent warnings.
