All county parks will be closed Saturday and all events at county parks cancelled because of a flash flood watch issued by the National Weather Service, according to Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator Talmadge Magno.
Magno said all overnight campers in the parks need to leave by 8 a.m. Saturday.
He said the park closure will be for Saturday only and Parks and Recreation officials will evaluate Sunday whether or not parks will be re-opened.
Events that have been canceled include the renaming of the Pahoa skate park and Rainbow Friends Animal Sanctuary’s Parade of Paws event at Liliuokalani Gardens in Hilo. A Facebook post from Rainbow Friends said their event has been rescheduled for May 26.
The flash flood watch is in effect statewide starting at 6 p.m., and severe weather is in the forecast with predictions of heavy showers and thunderstorms in some locations islandwide.