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Flash flood warning canceled; Kamehameha Highway reopens

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  • National Weather Service radar showed heavy rain over windward Oahu starting at about 7:30 p.m. (Courtesy image)

The National Weather Service canceled a flash flood warning for Windward Oahu after heavy rains caused Waikane Stream to overflow, closing Kamehameha Highway for about two hours.

The weather service said the warning was canceled at about 11:20 p.m. after the heavy rains subsided and police reopened the highway.

Forecasters said Waikane Stream rose seven feet between 8:15 and 9:15 and rain fell at a rate of three inches an hour.

Kaneohe police received reports of cars getting stuck on Kamehameha Highway.

The weather service described the situation as  “dangerous.”

Forecasters expect the heavy rains that have been falling over Oahu, Maui County and Kauai Counter to taper off by Thursday as north east trade winds return.

But forecasters also say the trade wind weather will leave us this weekend.

Another weather system is approaching the state and humid, hazy Kona weather will return Saturday.

“The trade winds are trying to come back,” said Norman Hui, a forecaster with the National Weather Service. “But it’s going to be a little short-lived.”

The trade winds should also clear out the vog on Oahu by sometime Thursday into Saturday morning.

Humid, hazy Kona weather is expected to return by Saturday afternoon as winds become southerly.

The Kona wind are forecast to remain over Oahu through Tuesday, when trade winds return again.

A weather system approaching the islands is expected to stay west of Kauai. So forecasters do not expect heavy showers this weekend.

Rainfall totals show the heavy rain was scattered all over Oahu earlier in the day. The Oahu Forest National Wildlife Reserve in the northern Koolau mountains got about 2.7 inches of rain in the 24-hour period ending at 5 p.m. Hakipuu Mauka in the Koolau range and Mililani got about 2 inches. Hawaii Kai, Makaha, Poamoho and Waiahole recorded about 1.5 inches.

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