About 800 Big Island residents were estimated to still be without power Tuesday afternoon following the “Kona low” storm that hit Monday night.
An estimated that about 40,000 customers on the Big Island experienced power outages Monday because of the storm, according to a Hawaiian Electric press release Tuesday.
The company is still doing damage assessments across the island, but at least two transmission lines along the Hamakua Coast need to be repaired.
New outages are occurring as flooding or fallen trees cut off power lines.
As of Tuesday afternoon, about 400 customers on Waipi‘o Valley Road between Honoka‘a town and the valley were without power, with restoration expected to be complete by Friday.
Another 300 customers around Ahualoa were expected to have power restored by Thursday, and about 100 isolated customers around Hawaiian Ocean View Estates should have their power restored by late today or early Thursday.
Repairs will begin once fallen trees are cleared and crews can safely access the area, according to the Hawaiian Electric.
According to National Weather Service, Hilo received about half an inch of rainfall between Monday and Tuesday morning, while other sites like Waimea received more than 4 inches during the same period. At least one vehicle became disabled while trying to cross high water on Highway 190 Monday night.
In West Hawaii, Kealakekua received 3.8 inches of rainfall, Kohala Ranch received 3 inches, Waikoloa received 3.1 inches and Kona International Airport received 1.5, which is more rain than that site usually gets the entire month.
Hail was also reported in Ocean View in Ka‘u as well as in Waimea, with the largest being about 1/2 inch in diameter.
Meanwhile, loads of snow fell on both Maunakea and Mauna Loa summits.
The storm was expected to dump over 14 inches on the summits, though no final figures have been released. On Mauna Loa, the snow reached down to the elevation where a fissure was venting lava until about a week ago.
The Maunakea Access Road remained closed at the Visitor Information Station as of press-time Tuesday due to snow and ice on the roadway, as well as 100 mph winds at the summit. The Maunakea Weather Center said the road would likely remain closed today as crews work to clear the roadway.
High surf warnings remain in effect for West Hawaii shores until 6 p.m. today, and a high wind warning for the summits of Maunakea and Mauna Loa should expire by 6 a.m. today.
By the end of the week, another cold front is forecast to move into the area. The current forecast track has the front staying north of the state, resulting in showers mainly over Kauai and Maui.
Residents affected by the storm are encouraged to participate in a Hawaii County Civil Defense damage assessment survey to help determine the extent of storm-related damage on Hawaii Island.
