A weather trough west of the state disrupted atmospheric conditions over Kauai and Oahu Sunday, resulting in heavy showers and a host of weather-related emergencies.
The National Weather Service initially issued a flash flood watch for Kauai on Saturday in anticipation of heavy rain that could contribute to flash-flood conditions.
The watch was changed to a warning Sunday as flooding began. Over the 24-hour period ending 8 a.m. Sunday, areas including Anahola, Wailua Ditch and Puu Opae were buffeted by more than 6 inches of rain.
The warning was lifted Sunday afternoon, but a watch remained in effect for Kauai and Oahu through 6 a.m. today.
On Kauai the intense rainfall began causing problems just before daybreak.
Just before 6 a.m. officials closed Kuhio Highway near Hanalei Bridge because of flooding. Within an hour officials had also closed Weliweli Road, Hapa Road and Ala Kinoiki in Koloa; Kekaha Road between Io and Kala roads in Kekaha; and Waimea Road between Alawai Road and the Big Save store in Waimea.
Keapana Bridge in Kapaa and Hoone Road in Poipu were later closed as well.
In Eleele overflowing rainwater led to a sewage spill via a manhole at the intersection of Kaumualii Highway and Eleele Road, across the highway from the Eleele Shopping Center. According to the county Department of Public Works, between 1,000 and 10,000 gallons of sewage was spilled between 6:25 and 7:15 a.m.
In Kekaha heavy flooding prompted officials to open a former plantation ditch to serve as a drainage system. Significant flooding was also reported in Weliweli Tract in Koloa.
Public works crews spent much of the day clearing boulders and other landslide debris from Kalihiwai Road in Kilauea, Akemama Road in Lawai, Kahumoku Road in Lihue, Waha Road in Kalaheo and Awawa Road in Hanapepe.
State Department of Transportation highway personnel barricaded a portion of the right shoulder of Kuhio Highway near mile marker No. 22 in Kilauea, due to a roadway collapse.
While the showers over Kauai subsided by midday, the weather service kept Oahu on watch for locally heavy showers, possible thunderstorms and flash flooding through the night.
Meanwhile, a high-surf advisory is in effect for the east shores of Molokai, Maui and Hawaii island through 6 p.m. Tuesday. Waves of up to 8 feet were forecast, driven by easterly winds of up to 23 mph. The high winds were forecast to last through the week.
A small-craft advisory was in effect for Hawaii waters out to 46 miles from shore.
