Flood Watch Extended Again, to Midday Thursday
A flash-flood watch in place since Monday for the Big Island has been extended again, this time to noon Thursday, the National Weather Service said this morning.
A cold front that had lingered over the isle has finally moved off to the east, but the upper-level low-pressure system that has destabilized the atmosphere remains.
Forecasters have also expanded the flood watch to include all of Maui County.
The low combined with “persistent deep moisture” means the threat of flooding rains will continue for at least another day, the weather service said.
It said heavy showers are most likely over windward areas.
Following Monday’s deluges, the rains eased over much of the Big Island Tuesday.
But they were still enough to push the 48-hour total to near double-digits in Ookala. The weather service’s gauge at Island Dairy there showed 9.6 inches of rain between 8 a.m. Sunday to 8 a.m. Tuesday.
Rainfall during that period elsewhere included 7.95 inches in Laupahoehoe, 3.54 inches at Hilo’s airport, 3.33 inches in Waiakea Uka and 3.22 inches in Pahoa.
The 3.05 inches that fell in Hilo Tuesday set a record for that date, breaking the old mark of 1.39 inches for Jan. 28 set in 1988.