Hilo shattered two rainfall records this week as thunderstorms rumbled across Hawaii Island.
Hilo shattered two rainfall records this week as thunderstorms rumbled across Hawaii Island.
On Monday, Hilo International Airport recorded 4.04 inches, surpassing the day’s previous record of 2.99 inches in 1982, according to the National Weather Service.
Tuesday saw even larger downpours with 6.98 inches recorded as of 4:30 p.m. The previous record for that day was 3.59 inches, also set in 1982.
Heavy showers are expected to dissipate by Thursday with the return of normal trade wind weather patterns, said Leigh Anne Eaton, National Weather Service meteorologist.
“There is a lot of moisture that is lingering around us,” she said.
Eaton said a trough of low pressure south of the island was aiding air instability and the creation of persistent thunderstorms.
The island remained under a flash flood watch and a flood advisory for much of Tuesday.
Rainfall was expected to remain heavy through Tuesday evening with as much as 2 inches falling per hour.
“With the ground already saturated from heavy rains over the past couple of days, there will be an elevated risk for flash flooding,” the weather service said.
By the evening, there were reports of flooding on Saddle Road near Pohakuloa Training Area and on Highway 19 near Waimea.
Lightning and thunder lingered across much of the island.
Ed Teixeira, Hawaii County Civil Defense director, said Public Works delivered sandbags to a couple of homes in Waimea near White Road, where highway flooding was reported.
There were no major road closures caused by flooding as of 4:45 p.m., he said.
Kaloli Drive in Hawaiian Paradise Park was closed because of downed power lines between 19th and 20th avenues. Teixeira said that was a result of a vehicle wreck.
The weather service hadn’t determined if any other rainfall records were broken throughout the Island as of Tuesday afternoon.
Outside Hilo, the heaviest rainfall was seen in Mountain View, which received 4.14 inches in 24 hours as of 3 p.m., and Hakalau, which saw 4.18 inches in the same time period.
A weather station in Waimea reported 0.32 inches. Pahala received 1.15 inches.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Tim Sakahara, state Department of Transportation spokesman, said “minor debris” had to be cleared from Highway 19 along the Hamakua Coast, but it didn’t appear to impact traffic.
“The maintenance crews got out there so quick it didn’t require any lane closures,” he said.
Police also advised motorists of “debris and potholes” on Saddle Road near mile markers 10 and 11 because of heavy rain.
Sakahara said ponding was reported on Queen Kaahumanu Highway in North Kona.
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.