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Kauai firefighters on the Fire Department helicopter ame across three women attempting to cross the Hanakapiai Stream with what appears to be a rescue tube and an inflatable pool float. Rescuers were able to warn the women not to cross the stream until the water receded, a Kauai County spokeswoman said.
Kauai County Firefighters rescued 12 stranded hikers from a rain-swollen Hanakapiai Stream this morning. (Courtesy Kauai County)
Flooding in Hanalei covered Kuhio Highway and several properties. Utility poles over brown water mark the path of the highway, which remains closed to traffic this afternoon. (Courtesy Kauai County)
Rain clouds hang over downtown Honolulu and an empty playground at Mother Waldron Park in Kakaako.
STAR-ADVERTISER / 2013
Rainclouds hung low above the Pali this morning. The National Weather Service extended a flash flood warning for Kauai until 11:15 a.m. today with radar showing heavy rain over the northeast side of the island. Oahu, Maui and Niihau remain under a flash flood watch through this afternoon. (Craig T. Kojima / ckojima@staradvertiser.com)
The National Weather Service extended a flash flood warning for Kauai until 8:15 a.m. today with radar showing heavy rain over the northeast side of the island.
(Courtesy National Weather Service)
The wet weather is diminishing, and the National Weather Service predicts a cool, dry, mostly sunny Easter Sunday.
Rains eased on Kauai and Oahu this afternoon, but Maui County remains under a flash flood watch through 6 a.m. Thursday because of the potential for more showers.
“Everything’s trending towards quieter weather,” said National Weather Service lead forecaster Tom Birchard. “The disturbance aloft that’s been supporting the unstable weather is departing to the east.”
Windward Maui and windward Hawaii island can expect a wet tradewind day Thursday due to lingering low-level moisture, Birchard said.
The Weather Service canceled Wednesday night the flash flood watch for Oahu, which never saw any flash flooding, despite some heavy showers.
A front is expected to come down the island chain Saturday, but not as wet as the current one, and a cool, dry north wind is expected in the wake of that, Birchard said. It is not expected to produce rain on Sunday.
The Weather Service lifted flood advisories for Oahu and Molokai Wednesday afternoon. Earlier in the day, rain was falling at a rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour in Windward Oahu, Wahiawa and Mililani.
A flash flood warning for Kauai County was lifted just before 2:15 p.m. The warning had been in effect since Tuesday night.
Kauai got the brunt of the rain from the storm system.
“There’s numerous gauges that got over 10 inches (of rain on Kauai) over the last couple of days,” Wroe said.
Between 2 p.m Monday and 2 p.m. Wednesday, nearly 22 inches fell in Kilohana. The Wailua Ditch got 14.3 inches and Mt. Waialeale saw 13.3 inches of rain.
On Kauai, one lane of Kuhio Highway reopened in Hanalei, with police directing traffic in the area.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources closed the Na Pali Coast State Park and Kalalau trail until further notice due to flooding.
Hanalei Elementary School was closed Wednesday because of dangerous road conditions and the closure of Hanalei Bridge, the state Department of Education said.
Home owners who suffered flood damage are encouraged to call the Red Cross Lihue office, officials said.
Kauai firefighters rescued 12 stranded hikers trapped by a swollen Hanakapiai Stream this morning. They also warned three other people who were about to attempt a stream crossing with inner tubes.
Forecasters said Kauai saw rain all day Tuesday and streams are running higher than normal.
Kauai County officials also have put out a water conservation request to residents in the Hanalei area as Department of Water crews work to identify the reason for low water pressure.
Skies should clear by Thursday, Wroe said. But there will still be a lot of moisture in the air.
Another weather system is likely to move over the state this weekend and the forecast calls for more rain Friday and Saturday night.
