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Strong winds Strong tradewinds today continued to kick up problems across the state -- tossing up the ocean, whipping around electrical lines and garbage cans, knocking down trees and causing power outages.
buffet Oahu,
neighbor isles
Power outages and traffic
blocked by downed trees plague
the city as gusts reach 50 mphBy Helen Altonn
Star-BulletinThe Honolulu Zoo closed at 3 p.m. yesterday afternoon after several limbs and trees fell. The zoo remained closed today.
A tree fell on a Wahiawa house on California Avenue last night at 9:45 p.m. No one was injured. Fire crews also responded to a blown roof on Lehua Street and various reports of people trapped in elevators due to power outages. There were at least six electrical pole fires in which high winds caused wires to touch, the fire department said.
Another fallen tree blocked an entrance to the Pali Lookout, police said. The area remained closed this morning.
Tradewinds of up to 35 mph with 50 mph gusts at times, snapped a tree in two along Farrington Highway, near Keeau Beach Park in Waianae, early in the morning, disrupting traffic until it could be removed.
Traffic was also affected because signal lights were out at various intersections because of power outages.
Hawaiian Electric Company crews worked through the night, spokesman Fred Kobashikawa said today. The worst outage occurred yesterday in Kalihi, with about 6,500 residents from Kalihi Valley to Sand Island losing electricity from about 4 p.m. to 4:45 p.m., Kobashikawa said.
A high surf advisory was up for all east-facing shores because of wind-generated waves, but no major problems were reported this morning, the Coast Guard said.
"It's all because of a strong high pressure system north of the islands -- a big mountain of air, if you will," said Tim Craig, National Weather Service lead forecaster.
He said the trades are expected to taper off through tomorrow and wind-wise, "the weekend should be pretty good, everything else being equal."
Power outages were reported on Maui in Lahaina, Kaanapali, Kahakuloa and Olinda overnight.
High winds are also blamed for an outage affecting 1,777 customers in the Waimea and Kohala Ranch areas on the Big Island yesterday.
On Kauai, tiles blew off the roof of the fire station in Kalaheo and there were also reports of tree limbs downed, but no serious problems.
Wind-blown showers were reported everywhere in the state except upcountry Maui and some coastal areas where they were blocked by Haleakala, Craig said.
The Big Island had the heaviest rain, with 5.81 inches reported in Glenwood, 5.19 inches at Mountain View and 5.13 inches at Waiakea-uka above Hilo.
Up to a foot of snow was reported on the ground in some areas of Mauna Kea.The summit road was closed this morning because of ice, but was expected to reopen this afternoon.
Star-Bulletin reporters Leila Fujimori,
Gary Kubota and Janine Tully
contributed to this story.