Cloudy, wet weather to hang around today
Update: 10:00 a.m.
Forecasters said wet weather and cloudy skies will remain throughout today, with partial clearing over Kauai and Oahu this afternoon. The clearing is expected to move west to east across the state tonight, with wet trades lingering over windward Maui and Hawaii island.
“Current radar shows diminishing showers pushing into windward areas of Kauai, while showers continue over windward areas of Oahu, Maui County and the Big Island,” said the National Weather Service in its discussion. “The forecast calls for showers diminishing from west to east today with lingering enhanced moisture over windward Maui and the Big Island into Saturday.”
A more typical trade wind pattern will return by Saturday. High pressure north of the state will keep the tradewinds around through the weekend, then strengthen next week.
Due to the wet weather and “copious amounts of rain in the recent past,” the flash flood watch continues through the afternoon, NWS officials said. Layered clouds are bringing a mix of weather, including heavy snow, to Big Island summits, and the winter storm warning remains through 6 a.m. Saturday.
Update: 7:30 a.m.
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A flash flood warning for the island of Kauai has expired, but a flash flood watch remains in effect for the entire state.
“The remnants of an old front lingering across the state, in combination with an upper level trough moving overhead, will continue the threat for (sic) heavy rainfall and flash flooding,” the National Weather Service said in a bulletin.
4:45 a.m.
A flash flood warning for the island of Kauai has been extended through 7:30 a.m. today.
Gage reports at 4:13 a.m. showed the Hanalei River above 7 feet, possibly affecting Kuhio Highway at the Hanalei River Bridge, according to the National Weather Service.
Locations in the warning include, but are not limited to, Princeville, Kilauea, Anahola, Moloaa, Wainiha and Hanalei.
Previous coverage
A flash flood watch remains in effect for the entire state of Hawaii as the storm system that dumped over 2 feet of rain on Kauai over the weekend makes it way back to the islands.
“The heaviest rainfall is expected to fall from Oahu eastward to the Big Island, particularly in windward areas,” the National Weather Service said in a bulletin.
Although Kauai isn’t expected to get more heavy rainfall, the already saturated soil could quickly lead to more flooding with the addition of even moderate rainfall for an extended period.
The flash flood watch is in effect through 6 p.m. Friday.
At the other end of the state, the summits of Hawaii island could see up to a foot of snow today.
A winter storm warning is in effect through 6 p.m. Friday as heavy snow is anticipated for the summits above 12,000 feet today. Weather officials say accumulations of 6 to 12 inches of snow are expected.
“Roads to the summits are expected to become snow covered and slippery, resulting in difficult travel conditions,” weather officials said in a bulletin today.