NOHW40 PHFO 100051
PNSHFO
HIZ001>028-101300-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
251 PM HST TUE MAR 9 2021

...TORRENTIAL RAINFALL AND FLASH FLOODING OVER PORTIONS OF THE
STATE OF HAWAII...

A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM ALOFT TAPPING INTO ENHANCED MOISTURE
IN THE LOWER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE HAS PRODUCED TORRENTIAL
RAINFALL OVER PORTIONS OF THE STATE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS.
THE HIGHEST RAINFALL THUS FAR HAS BEEN ALONG THE WINDWARD
SLOPES OF HALEAKALA ON THE ISLAND OF MAUI, THE WINDWARD
SLOPES OF THE KOOLAU RANGE ON THE ISLAND OF OAHU, THE SOUTHEAST HALF
OF THE BIG ISLAND, AND THE EAST HALF OF KAUAI.

IMPACTS SO FAR DURING THIS ONGOING EVENT HAVE BEEN THE GREATEST ON
MAUI. ON THE AFTERNOON OF MONDAY, MARCH 8, INTENSE RAINFALL ABOVE
KAUPAKALUA RESERVOIR RESULTED IN THE OVERTOPPING OF THE DAM. WHILE
THE DAM ULTIMATELY DID NOT FAIL, THE RISK OF FAILURE PROMPTED THE
EVACUATION OF RESIDENTS BELOW THE DAM, AND THE CLOSURE OF THE HANA
HIGHWAY FOR SEVERAL HOURS. THE INTENSE RAINFALL ALSO PRODUCED
SEVERE FLOODING FROM HAIKU TO MAKAWAO. A HALF DOZEN HOMES WERE
SEVERELY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. PEAHI BRIDGE ON PEAHI ROAD WAS
WASHED OUT, AND KAUPAKALUA BRIDGE ON KAUPAKALUA ROAD WAS DISPLACED
AND IMPASSABLE. SEVERAL OTHER ROADS IN THE AREA WERE IMPASSABLE.

HEAVY RAINFALL SHIFTED TO OAHU ON TUESDAY, MARCH 9. THIS IS AN
ONGOING EVENT. AS OF THIS STATEMENT, MULTIPLE ROADS HAVE BEEN
CLOSED ALONG THE WINDWARD SLOPES OF THE KOOLAU RANGE, AND
KAMEHAMEHA HIGHWAY IS IMPASSABLE IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS. SEVERAL HOMES
WERE REPORTED TO BE DAMAGED IN HAUULA.

THE FOLLOWING ARE NOTABLE RAINFALL TOTALS FOR THE 48-HOURS ENDING
AT 12 PM HST, MARCH 9. ALL AMOUNTS ARE IN INCHES. NOTE THAT THIS IS
AN ONGOING EVENT AND TOTALS, ESPECIALLY ON OAHU, WILL CHANGE.
THESE TOTALS ARE CONSIDERED PRELIMINARY FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY.

LOCATION                               48-HR TOTAL
KAUAI
MOUNT WAIALEALE (USGS)                   10.87
KILOHANA (USGS)                           6.26
NORTH WAILUA DITCH (USGS)                 5.99
KALAHEO                                   4.32

OAHU
KAHANA RAIN GAGE (USGS)                  10.78
HAKIPUU MAUKA                            10.31
WAIAHOLE (USGS)                           9.56
PUNALUU PUMP                              8.73

MAUI
WEST WAILUAIKI (USGS)                    19.21
PUU KUKUI (USGS)                         11.32
HAIKU                                     9.04
HANA AIRPORT                              3.75

BIG ISLAND
PIIHONUA                                 12.83
LAUPAHOEHOE                              11.53
WAIAKEA EXPERIMENT STATION               10.36
WAIAKEA UKA                               9.56

$$

KODAMA