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Kamehameha Highway re-opened; flash flood warning canceled

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GOOGLE MAPS
Police closed Kamehameha Highway between Waiahole Valley Road and Waikane Store at 8:27 p.m. due to an overflowing stream. Zoom in
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CENTRAL PACIFIC HURRICANE CENTER
At 11 p.m. Sunday, Jimena was 615 miles northeast of Honolulu and 560 miles northeast of Hilo, moving northwest at 9 mph.
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NOAA
This image of Tropical Storm Jimena was taken Sunday by the GOES-15 geosynchronous satellite. Hawaii is at the lower left.

Oahu was under a flash flood warning Sunday evening, with heavy rains reported from Waikane to Turtle Bay.

Police closed Kamehameha Highway between Waiahole Valley Road and Waikane Store at 8:27 p.m. due to an overflowing stream, and re-opened it around midnight. Traffic was turned around in both directions.

There were reports of a foot of water on the road.

The flood warning expired at midnight.

The National Weather Service warned that the second half of the week also could be “quite wet” as moisture from Tropical Storm Jimena moves over the islands.

Forecasters say they expect high surf from Jimena to continue to affect Hawaii shores, and a coastal flood warning remains in effect through Monday.

According to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center, large and powerful long-period swells will produce hazardous and potentially life-threatening surf in the main Hawaiian Islands over the next couple of days, primarily along the east and northeast shores.

At 5 a.m. Monday, Jimena was 585 miles northeast of Honolulu and 545 miles north-northeast of Hilo, moving northwest at 7 mph.

Sustained winds were at 50 mph.

John Bravender, a meteorologist with the center, says residents will be spared from the typical effects of the storm, though.

“With this forecast, we’re not expecting direct impacts from wind or widespread heavy rain associated with storms,” he said.

However, residents can expect to see some stormy weather later in the week.

“We are expecting another increase in tropical moisture behind (the storm) during the second half of the week that could lead to localized heavy rain and potential for flooding,”Bravender said.

Forecasters say this hurricane season has been exceptionally active.

“El Nino years tend to be more active than normal for us, and so far we’ve already exceeded our season outlook,” Bravender said. “An average hurricane season is four to fivetropical cyclones. This year we were expecting an active season, and our active season called for five to eight. Jimena is No. 9, and we still have a fair amount of time left inhurricane season.”

The hurricane season in the Central Pacific lasts through Nov. 30.

Meanwhile, Hawaii County was under a flash flood warning for much of Sunday. At 4:21 p.m., radar showed heavy rain — up to 3 inches per hour — about 7 miles north of Kailua-Kona, with the heaviest downpours along Highway 190 between Holualoa and Puuanahulu.

There were also reports of ocean-surge flooding on the eastern shores of Puna.

A high-surf warning remains in effect for the east shores of Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui and Hawaii island until 6 p.m. Monday. Waves were 10 to 18 feet.

A high-surf advisory also remains in effect for the south shores of all islands through 6 p.m. Monday. Waves were 5 to 8 feet.

In Hilo on Sunday the high temperature set a record for the date for the third day in a row. The high of 91 degrees broke the old record of 87, set last year.

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