Park Services Back to Normal as Flossie Dissipates

Park fire crew members Andrew Lee (l) and Al Aviles (r) remove tree from Mauna Loa Road Tuesday morning

NPS Photo/J.Ferracane

News Release Date: July 30, 2013

Contact: Jessica Ferracane, 808-985-6018

Hawaii National Park, Hawai‘i – Park officials reopened the following areas within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Tuesday morning, as Flossie weakened into a tropical depression:

 - All of Chain of Craters Road

 - Most backcountry areas, including Mauna Loa and cabins

 - Mauna Loa Road (known locally as “Mauna Loa Strip Road”)

 - All coastal areas, including, ‘Āpua Point, Keauhou, Halapē, and Ka‘aha

 - Kulanaokuaiki campsite - Nāpau campsite - Nāmakanipaio Campgrounds and A-frame cabins

 - Jaggar Museum

Kīlauea Visitor Center returned to normal operating hours of 8:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. daily.

The National Weather Service downgraded Flossie from a tropical storm to a post-tropical depression early Tuesday, although a flash flood watch remains in effect for all Hawaiian islands.

Storm impacts were minimal in the park. A large koa tree fell across Mauna Loa Road, but was removed, and the road – popular with hikers and birdwatchers – reopened late Tuesday morning.

For updates on storm, go to http://www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/cphc/

For Civil Defense updates for the County of Hawai‘i, go to http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/active-alerts/.