January 24, 2004
This is a Civil Defence Alert for...
This is what we have been dealing with here on the Big Island for the last 36 hours:
AT 242 PM HST...RADAR INDICATED SEVERAL AREAS OF HEAVY RAIN OVER THE
BIG ISLAND. RAINFALL WAS ESPECIALLY HEAVY OVER SOUTH KOHALA NEAR
WAIKOLOA AND PUAKO...AND THE PUNA DISTRICT NEAR MOUNTAIN VIEW.
Puna-thats where we live
...THE FLOOD ADVISORY FOR THE HILO AND PUNA DISTRICTS OF THE BIG
ISLAND HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL 330 PM HST...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 PM HST...
THE HEAVY RAIN HAS DIMINISHED OVER HILO AND PUNA...BUT RADAR SHOW
THAT MORE HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ONSHORE FROM THE
SOUTH THIS AFTERNOON.
RUNOFF FROM THIS SECOND BATCH OF HEAVY RAIN WILL CAUSE STREAMS TO
RISE RAPIDLY...AND WATER TO COLLECT IN LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE
AREAS. MOTORISTS SHOULD AVOID THESE AREAS AND SEEK A DIFFERENT ROUTE.
We had electrical activity all during this time. I had to run an errand this afternoon, so I grabbed fast food and went to a park on the south curve of Hilo Bay so I could face the town and watch the lightning strikes. I could actually make out what was getting zapped. Was listening to KPUA radio when their tower was hit....Was like watching a video game with the lights of the city going off then comming back on
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
310 PM HST FRI JAN 23 2004
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED A
* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
WEST HAWAII INCLUDING LEEWARD KOHALA
* UNTIL 615 PM HST
* AT 306 PM HST...RADAR INDICATED VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER WAIKOLOA...OR
ABOUT 27 MILES NORTHEAST OF KAILUA-KONA. THE AREA OF HEAVY RAIN
WAS NEARLY STATIONARY.
EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THIS STORM WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING OF STREAMS
AND COULD ALSO TRIGGER ROCK AND MUDSLIDES IN STEEP TERRAIN.
EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THIS STORM WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING OF
STREAMS...HIGHWAYS...UNDERPASSES AND LOW LYING AREAS.
MOTORISTS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR FLOODING AND SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO
CROSS FAST FLOWING OR RISING WATER. MANY FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR
WHEN MOTORISTS TRY CROSSING FLOODED ROADWAYS.
ESCAPE RISING WATER BY CLIMBING DIRECTLY TO HIGHER GROUND. NEVER TRY
TO OUTRACE A FLOOD...EITHER ON FOOT OR IN YOUR VEHICLE. DO NOT CAMP
NEAR STREAMS OR OTHER AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING.
LAT...LON 1998 15592 1980 15595 1990 15561 2024 15590
There were some major wash outs and emergency shelters were opened for residents of Kau District below Pahala and North Kohala districts. Lots of folks didnt get home tonight. I am fine and the shop and house are fine. the cats are exausted from fright and are sleeping with Woody in our bed like little puddles of fur.
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
430 PM HST FRI JAN 23 2004
HIZ004-007-008-241400-
NORTH AND EAST HAWAII-SOUTH HAWAII-WEST HAWAII-
430 PM HST FRI JAN 23 2004
...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THE BIG ISLAND SUMMITS OF MAUNA KEA
AND MAUNA LOA...
BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES...SNOW AND SLEET WITH THUNDER AND
LIGHTNING ARE NOW OCCURRING OVER THE SUMMITS OF MAUNA LOA AND MAUNA
KEA. IF YOU ARE IN THE SUMMIT AREAS TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS TO
PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY.
A STRONG TROUGH WEST OF THE ISLANDS IS PRODUCING DEEP LAYERED CLOUDS
AND BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES OVER THE SUMMITS OF MAUNA KEA AND
MAUNA LOA. SNOW IS LIKELY ALL NIGHT.
TRAVEL TO THE SUMMITS IS DISCOURAGED AS THE ROAD MAY STILL BE BLOCKED
AND DANGEROUS. CALL 808-935-6268 FOR A RECORDED MESSAGE ON
INFORMATION ON ROAD CONDITIONS TO MAUNA KEA.
THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AT 4 AM HST OR SOONER IF NEEDED.
There was snow this morning down to the 9000 ft levels and with be lower. Its was snowing furiously this afternoon, I could see it from the Bayfront. I hope to have pictures of the mountains on the blog snapshots tomorrow if its clear. I know that all of you snowbirds are very disappointed that there is seemingly no escape from the cold white stuff. But here...you can snowboard in an Aloha shirt....Done all the time.
I hear booming in the distance... I live about a mile from the water and I can hear the storm approching again. The thing will swirl around us a bit longer and then move on. Better get the computer turned off before the power goes off again...
