Hawaii’s soggy weather is expected to lift slightly Wednesday but will linger on as yet another tropical storm is in the forecast and expected to reach hurricane status by Thursday morning, the National Weather Service said.
On Tuesday night Maui County was under a flash flood warning. Honolulu and Hawaii counties were under a flash flood advisory. The heavy rain was due to a mid- to upper-level trough just north of the state.
“The biggest concern for the next couple of days would be the flooding,” Weather Service meteorologist Chevy Chevalier said Tuesday evening.
The already saturated ground and continued heavy downpours resulted in flooding and related problems.
At 5 p.m. Tuesday on Oahu, Waipio had tallied 2.35 inches of rain in the previous six hours. On Kauai the North Wailua Ditch got 4.84 inches in 24 hours.
The city reopened Waipio District Park fields Tuesday morning but closed them again later in the day due to heavy rain and thundershowers. Central Oahu Regional Park, the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center, Kaneohe District Park pools and Pearl City District Park were closed Tuesday.
Several city facilities, closed Monday due to flooding, reopened Tuesday, including the Honolulu Zoo and city golf courses.
Some Hawaiian Telcom customers were without phone, Internet and TV service as crews addressed weather-related service disruptions.
“We’re working really hard to respond,” said Hawaiian Telcom spokeswoman Ann Nishida Fry. Statewide there were just over 1,000 customers with complaints ranging from static to loss of service Monday and Tuesday. “As we’re clearing trouble, more trouble’s coming in,” she said.
When manholes get flooded, underground cables sit in water, causing things to short out, Nishida Fry said, adding that areas must be pumped out before repairs can be made.
Tropical Storm Ignacio is due to enter the Central Pacific by Thursday, becoming a hurricane and remaining as such for a couple of days. If Ignacio stays on its current track, “it will be directly in line with the Big Island,” said Chevalier. “By Sunday it will be 200 to 300 miles southeast of the Big Island.”
The system turned into a tropical storm at 11 a.m. Tuesday and at 5 p.m. was located 1,520 miles east-southeast of Hilo.
Wind shear is expected to weaken it Saturday and Sunday, but it is forecast to remain at hurricane strength, Chevalier said, adding that “it can definitely change.”
