Residents on Hawaii island began cleaning up Wednesday afternoon following heavy rainfall Tuesday through Wednesday morning.

Police reopened the Hilo Bayfront Highway and parts of Kamehameha Avenue after floodwater covered the roads.

State crews also cleared debris from Highway 19 at Maulua Gulch along the Hamakua Coast, said Kanani Aton, a spokeswoman for Hawaii County Civil Defense.

The National Weather Service also dropped a flash flood watch for Maui and Hawaii island.

A combination of heavy moisture in the air and unstable upper atmospheric conditions created steady rain and a deluge Tuesday afternoon and evening over Hawaii island and parts of Maui. The Mauna Kea summit also saw a dusting of snow Tuesday that melted by Wednesday.

More than 11 inches of rain fell in Waiakea Uka, above Hilo, in the 24-hour period ending at 9 a.m. The Waiakea Experiment Station got nearly 9.7 inches, and almost 8 inches fell in Mountain View.

Hilo Airport recorded 3.13 inches Tuesday, breaking the old record for Oct. 4 of 0.89 inch set in 1963. The early morning rain also set a record Wednesday. The airport recorded 2.83 inches, breaking the record for the date of 2.5 inches set in 2006.

Vehicles parked in a lot off Kamehameha Highway appeared to have sustained flood damage, Aton said. The lot is used by people who take the bus early in the morning to the west side of the island, she said.

Soccer fields, which are in a flood drainage area, were also underwater Wednesday.

Aton said she went to the flooded area Wednesday afternoon and noticed storm drains were mostly clear and working. But, she said, the amount of water just overwhelmed them.

“The weather has been very wet,” she said. Rain since Sunday saturated the ground and the downpour Tuesday afternoon and evening led to the flooding, she added.

The forecast for Hawaii island and the rest of the state calls for gradually clearing weather.

The pleasant tradewind weather should continue into the Columbus Day holiday.