KOLOA — Heavy overnight rainfall in Oma‘o and Hanalei shut down Oma‘o Road, Hanalei Bridge and Hanalei School Monday. While Oma‘o Road and Hanalei Bridge had reopened by midday yesterday, Hanalei School remained closed until this morning. In Oma‘o, 2.86
KOLOA — Heavy overnight rainfall in Oma‘o and Hanalei shut down Oma‘o Road, Hanalei Bridge and Hanalei School Monday.
While Oma‘o Road and Hanalei Bridge had reopened by midday yesterday, Hanalei School remained closed until this morning.
In Oma‘o, 2.86 inches of overnight rain helped topple a utility pole across Oma‘o Road around 4 a.m. Monday. Motorists detoured through Lawa‘i or Koloa for several hours while utility crews planted a new pole and restrung utility lines.
The road reopened at 11:45 a.m., said county public information officer Mary Daubert.
A Kaua‘i Police Department officer manning a checkpoint said the ground was soft before the rains began, but despite the fall he knew of no disruption of utility service area residents.
In Hanalei, rain gauges measured 3.25 inches of rain from 8 a.m. Sunday to 8 a.m. Monday.
Hanalei Bridge was closed from 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. amid flash-flood warnings. State Department of Education officials decided to keep Hanalei School closed Monday.
Daubert said the rains caused no further reports of inconvenience Monday.
One lettuce buyer yesterday chose to purchase her supply from Steve Ruiz at the Koloa Sunshine Market instead of the Kalaheo Sunshine Market, which is in an area that reported 2.21 inches through Sunday and early Monday morning.
“It didn’t really affect the lettuce that much,” Ruiz said. “But because the rain went in the center, it took longer than normal to clean them.”
Mt. Wai‘ale‘ale received 4.85 inches in the 12 hours between 8 p.m. Sunday and 8 a.m. Monday. Kapahi was also hit hard, totaling 3.29 inches by 8 a.m. Monday. The Lihu‘e Airport received just .97 inches during the same period, and Makaha Ridge in Mana had .05 inches.
A ridge of high pressure north of the main Hawaiian Islands will continue to supply the state with comfortable trades through the work week and into the weekend, states an area forecast discussion issued by the NWS yesterday.
Satellite imagery shows only moderate amount of low-level moisture upwind of the islands, amounting to scattered showers at best for the windward and mountain areas.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
