More sticky, wet weather is in store

Hot, muggy weather with the possibility of thunderstorms is expected to persist through Sunday as the effects of a western trough continue to be felt on Kauai and Oahu.

The two islands were placed under flood advisory on Saturday as radar detected heavy, stationary rain 14 miles northwest of Honolulu and heavy showers over northeast Kauai, from Wailua to Kilauea.

The trough is expected to weaken by Monday evening, ending the threat of thunderstorms. Meanwhile, a high-pressure system to the north is expected to bring a return of cooling tradewinds along with possible showers to windward areas.

Kauai bore the brunt of the rainy weather on Friday and Saturday. In the 24-hour period ending 2:45 p.m. on Saturday, the Mana area of Kauai recorded a state-high 3.99 inches of rain. Other areas experiencing heavy showers included Puu Opae (3.82), Mohihi Crossing (3.39) and Waimea Heights (3.26).

On Oahu, an inch or more of rain was recorded at Waihee Pump, Poamoho, Waipio and Dillingham over the same 24-hour period.

OCCC visits called off over staffing issues

Visits to the Oahu Community Correctional Center were canceled Saturday, the Department of Public Safety announced. Staff shortages forced the cancellation of visits to prisoners.

The department is putting out visitation cancellation notices through social media between 6:30 and 7:30 a.m. on scheduled visitation days. To find out more about visitation schedules for each facility, go to dps.hawaii.gov or call 832-1623.

Lava flow active at 5-mile point

Kilauea Volcano’s Kahaualea 2 flow continued its erratic progress last week with Hawaiian Volcano Observatory cameras detecting smoke plumes and glowing areas at its farthest point.

Geologists mapped the most distant active extent of the flow at just over 5 miles northeast of the Puu Oo cone; the tip of the flow extends another 430 yards but has not moved since last mapped on May 14, according to the observatory.

The front flow has advanced only 1.1 miles since it first stalled in November.

On Saturday at the summit, the lava lake level was measured at between 213 and 220 feet below the floor of Halemaumau Crater.

Twenty-one earthquakes were strong enough to be located beneath the volcano from Friday to Saturday.

500 from Kauai to join RIMPAC

About 500 employees from the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands, Kauai, are expected to participate in this summer’s Rim of the Pacific naval war games, the Navy says.

When the 23-nation exercises get underway in late June, there will be an increase in aviation activity with helicopters and aircraft from Oahu transiting over the base, and Navy vessels may be seen 20 to 25 miles offshore, Stefan Alford, the base’s public affairs officer, told the Garden Island.

The missile range will provide subsurface, surface and air training range capabilities for RIMPAC.

"This is where a lot of the exciting stuff is going to take place," Rear Adm. Richard Williams Jr., commander of Navy Region Hawaii, told a crowd at a Military Appreciation Luncheon at Barking Sands on Wednesday.