LIHUE — Anahola was the rainiest spot on the island Friday with 5.23 inches of precipitation. The measurement occurred over 12 hours and resulted in a flash flood warning for the County of Kauai that expired at 12:02 p.m. Friday.
LIHUE — Anahola was the rainiest spot on the island Friday with 5.23 inches of precipitation.
The measurement occurred over 12 hours and resulted in a flash flood warning for the County of Kauai that expired at 12:02 p.m. Friday.
“That is quite a bit,” said Matthew Foster, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “Anahola was the highest.”
Most of the island averaged from 1 to 2 inches between midnight and noon on Friday. The U.S. Geological Survey gauge recorded 3.33 inches at the North Wailua Ditch.
The precipitation was more than usual and the Hanapepe and Wailua rivers were of concern as water levels reached flood stage. The river levels began receding in the late morning.
Kauai Police Department radioed over Dispatch that water was touching the bottom of the Hanapepe Bridge at 9:29 a.m. Kauai Civil Defense reported that Puolo Road was closed for rising water.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources closed the Kalalau Trail and the Napali Coast at 10 a.m. Several schools around the island were also closed as buses began to find roads impassable.
“We weren’t anticipating flash flood warning type stuff,” Foster said.
The system produced the most rainfall from the southwest to the northeast half of the island, he said. Hanalei didn’t see as much this time and that is why the flood warning wasn’t issued up there, he added.
“There was still some stuff on radar nearby (at Friday noon) but it was not as threatening or heavy,” Foster said. “Most of it is to the south and west and tracking eastward.”
The ground is saturated now but dryer weather expected over the weekend should help that improve, he said. There is still some instability aloft with a surface trough with moisture access tracking eastward over Kauai that should move off by nightfall.
“We are not expecting much after that,” Foster said. “It should be dryer on Saturday with light northeast winds to make it a fairly nice weekend.”
The state Department of Health issued a brown water advisory for the island of Kauai. The public is advised to stay out of floodwaters and storm water runoff due to possible overflowing cesspools, sewer manholes, pesticides, animal fecal matter, dead animals, pathogens, chemicals, and associated flood debris. If coastal waters are turbid and brown, stay out.
Green waste disposal operations at all refuse transfer stations except the Lihue transfer station and the Kekaha Landfill remain closed. Weather advisories may change as conditions develop.
