Flood advisory issued for Maui

Update 2:10 p.m.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood advisory for Maui until 5 p.m. today.

Radar indicated heavy rain near Makawao and Ulupalakua, falling at a rate of up to 2 inches per hour.

Locations in the advisory include all of east Maui.

Update 2 p.m.

The National Weather Service dropped the flash flood warning for Kauai this afternoon as the storm system that dampened the island for two days moves away from the state.

Forecasters expect “gentle southeast winds and layered clouds over the islands through Friday night.”

Still, they say, flooding rain is possible over Kauai, which was hit hardest by this week’s storm system.

“The rest of the islands will have locally heavy showers during the afternoons and evenings with clearing skies overnight. Trade winds will return Saturday with scattered windward showers and mostly dry weather over leeward areas,” weather service forecasters said today.

Update: 10:15 a.m.

The flash flood warning for the island of Kauai has been extended to 1:15 p.m. today.

Although rainfall over the island has eased up, “the peak of the flood wave is still impacting the area near the Hanalei Bridge,” the National Weather Service said in a bulletin.

Kuhio Highway near the bridge remains closed and will likely remain closed into the afternoon, weather officials said.

7:45 a.m.

Weather officials have canceled the flash flood warning for the island of Maui as the heavy rains have eased up.

7:30 a.m.

Heavy rain moving northward over Kauai, with the most intense rainfall near Mana and Barking Sands, prompted weather officials to again issue a flash flood warning for the island.

The warning covers the entire island of Kauai and is in effect through 10:15 a.m.

The Hanalei River gage showed the water level had reached the point where Kuhio Highway nearby will likely be closed.

5:15 a.m.

Heavy rains lifted over Kauai but are still soaking Maui this morning. Correspondingly, a flash flood warning remains in effect for the island of Maui while the flash flood warning for Kauai has been canceled.

As of 5:10 a.m., Hana Airport had recorded 6.29 inches of rain over 24 hours and Oheo Gulch was still swollen but was trending lower, according to the National Weather Service.

The flash flood warning is in effect through 8:00 a.m.

Locations in the warning include, but are not limited to, Kaupo, Kipahulu, Nahiku and Hana.

Kauai is under a flood advisory through 7 a.m.

Previous coverage

Maui and Kauai are under a flash flood warning as rain pummels the islands.

On Maui, the warning is issued until midnight.

The National Weather Service reported heavy rain over east Maui from Nahiku to Kipahulu earlier tonight. Although heavy rains have eased up, conditions are favorable for more flare-ups in the next few hours.

The Maui Emergency Management Agency reported that Ulaino Road and Waikoloa Road are closed. However, Hana Highway at Mill Street is open.

Locations in the warning include but are not limited to Kaupo, Kipahulu, Keanae, Nahiku and Hana.

The American Red Cross has opened a shelter at Hana High School due to area flooding.

On Kauai, a flash flood warning is issued until 12:30 a.m.

The National Weather Service reports heavy showers lifting northward over Kauai.

The Makaweli River gage has been rising quickly over the past hour. The Hanalei and Wailua streams will likely begin to rise once again as heavy showers continue to shift northward over the island.

Another area of heavy showers currently located southeast of Niihau was lifting northward at 10 to 15 mph and will likely move over Kauai through the late evening hours.