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Thunder, Islanders were warned to brace themselves for a "good soaking" with Oahu the target of a low pressure system that is expected to drag thunderstorms and heavy showers here through tomorrow.
more rain due
Power is restored to Kaneohe
as a storm brings heavy
winds and downpoursBy Gregg K. Kakesako
gkakesako@starbulletin.comGusty winds caused problems on all islands.
Hawaiian Electric reported a major power outage this morning in Kaneohe, covering 860 customers including Windward Shopping Center beginning at 6:39 a.m.; and another one at 8:06 a.m. affecting 2,050 residents including Castle High School and another businesses and homes along Kaneohe Bay Drive. Power was restored about 30 minutes later and classes were still held at the Windward high school.
However, the rains and wind did close Kilohana School on Molokai.
A high surf warning remained in effect for east facing shores of all islands this morning. Waves of 10 to 15 feet were expected. The surf heights were expected to decrease to 8 to 12 feet tomorrow. A gale warning was in effect for all coastal waters exposed to the strong tradewinds.
Overnight on Oahu, Nanakuli was hit the hardest on two separate occasions.
Fred Kobashikawa, HECO spokesman, said 1,800 residents in Nanakuli were with out power twice last night -- first for an hour beginning at 6:49 p.m. and then for 45 minutes starting at 8:47 p.m.
Other brief outages caused by the gusting winds were reported in Pearl City, Kaimuki and Manoa. Overnight, Oahu recorded nearly an inch of rainfall, but the National Weather Service was expecting more before the storm front moves on.
National Weather Service Forecaster Roy Matsuda said, "We should see the bulk of the storm this afternoon and tomorrow with partial clearing on Saturday."
Besides the "good soaking," Matsuda added there should a good blanket of snow at the summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa on the Big Island.
"There were small patches of snowfall recorded at Mauna Kea yesterday," Matsuda said.
The summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa and Haleakala on Maui were expected to see winds of more than 100 mph. Matsuda said lower elevations should expect high wings of about 30 mph, gusting up to 50 mph at times.
With the storm moving east, the Big Island was hit first with 1.5 inches recorded in the Hilo area overnight. Laupahoehoe recorded the highest amount of rainfall -- 0.8 inches an hour.
No major damage was reported on the Big Island. At Kapoho south of Hilo, water washed across the coastal Wai Opae Street and damaged an automobile during the night, Civil Defense head Bill Davis said. But police said no homes were damaged and evacuation wasn't necessary.
A fallen tree blocking Mamalahoa Highway between Waimea and Kona was removed during the night by a county Public Works crew and Parker Ranch workers, police said.
Overnight, Maui also reported rainfall totals amounting to 1.5 inches. Gusty winds blowing 30 to 40 mph caused power outages in West Maui and the top side of Piiholo Road above Makawao. A falling palm frond caused power to go out to about 100 customers in Wahiluki and a part of Kaanapali for more than a half hour last night, and linemen were restoring power and telephone reception this morning to about 20 Piiholo customers after a eucalyptus tree knocked down a utility pole, Maui Electric said.
The rainy weather this week will be welcome news for the state, which to date has recorded below normal rainfall totals. For example, the two periods of heavy rains in last month meant that although most of Maui had higher-than-normal rainfall for the month, the county still remained well-below normal for the year, the National Weather Service reported.
Between Nov. 7-8, Kahakuloa on Maui recorded more than an inch and a half of rain, while Wailuku recorded about an inch and Haiku had 1.37 inches.
Following Thanksgiving, the first major storm of this year's winter season hit the island chain. From Nov. 27-28, Kula recorded 5.9 inches of rain, Kihei had 4.3 inches, and Kahakuloa received 4.25 inches of rain.
Star-Bulletin reporters Rod Thompson
and Gary Kubota contributed to this report.