Flash flood warning lifted for Oahu, but more rain possible
A flash flood warning for Oahu expired at 1:15 p.m. But forecasters say the weather remains unstable and there’s a possibility of more thunderstorms through the weekend.
“It’s very unusual for early June,” National Weather Service lead forecaster Robert Ballard said.
Forecasters say a low pressure system in the upper atmosphere is creating unstable weather conditions that will last through Saturday. The system should start moving away on Sunday, lessening the chance of thunderstorms. But the atmosphere will remain unstable and heavier than usual showers could continue through next week.
Earlier this morning, rain gauges showed rain falling at 2 to 3 inches per hour near Waikane at 6:42 a.m. and police closed Kamehameha Highway for about an hour this morning because of flooding.
The city announced that play at five municipal golf courses — Ewa Villages, Kahuku, Pali, Ted Makalena and Westloch — was suspended because of lightning. Play will be resumed when it is safe for golfers to be on the courses, the city said.
Rain gauges showed 4.7 inches fell in Waihee and 4.4 inches of rain fell in the northern Koolaus as of 2 p.m. About 4.7 inches fell in Moanalua Valley.
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Hawaiian Electric Co. spokesman Darren Pai said one major outage was reported in the Waipio Gentry and Waipahu area initially affecting 8,500 customers.
Pai said by late this morning, some 5,300 were without power in Waipio Gentry and the Waipahu area.
On the Windward side, 300 customers were without power mainly in the Waihee area, and some 800 customers were without power as firefighters fought the house fire.