FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM Bicyclists crossed wet streets at the intersection of King and McCully streets yesterday. At 5 p.m. it was gloomy enough for some motorists to turn on their headlights.

Showers set to drench
isles for another day

City officials are concerned
that more rain will affect
two Blaisdell Center shows

Current Hawaii weather

Occasional heavy thundershowers expected to drench most of the islands today have city officials praying that the rain will somehow miss Blaisdell Center.

That's because Tony Award winner Lea Salonga is scheduled to perform tonight and tomorrow at the Blaisdell Concert Hall, where leaks caused by heavy downpours Friday and Sunday bothered concertgoers.

The unstable weather -- "with showers and storms popping up at random throughout the islands" -- is expected to continue today and clear sometime tonight, said Robert Ballard, forecaster of the National Weather Service.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch for Oahu, Kauai and Maui County at 2:20 p.m. yesterday through this afternoon. An urban and small-stream flood advisory was also issued for Oahu at 5:25 p.m. yesterday.

The National Weather Service reported heavy rain over the North Shore and Windward area on Oahu, primarily in Wahiawa, Kailua and Waimanalo. Forecasters also reported heavy rain over the east-facing slopes of Kauai.

Hikers and campers were alerted to stay away from streams and low-lying areas.

Many residents were awakened by the loud thunder and lightning Sunday night and early yesterday morning. Residents in Central and East Oahu were mostly affected by the rainy weather.

Lightning caused a power failure to some parts of Kauai about 9 p.m. Sunday, said Carey Koide, operations superintendent of the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative. Power was restored to areas of Kapaa, Lihue and Kekaha 45 minutes later, while power was restored to areas of Koloa and Poipu at 10:50 p.m.

At the concert hall, city employees used fans, space heaters and hair dryers yesterday to dry between 35 and 50 seats on the Diamond Head side of the hall's upper balcony. Aisle seats were most affected by leaks.

FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM Pedestrians made it through a rain-slicked crosswalk at the intersection of Keeaumoku and Makaloa streets.

Salonga is best known for her performance as Kim in "Miss Saigon." In 1991 she won a Tony award for her role in the Broadway musical. Tickets are still available for tonight's concert.

Lee met with contractors of Allied Construction Inc. yesterday to discuss the leaks. Allied Construction was hired to renovate the roof.

"They did not seal portions of the roof properly and did not anticipate the heavy rains," said Lee. Workers from Allied's subcontractor, Beachside Roofing LLC, worked Saturday to correct the problem, but heavy rain caused more leaks Sunday.

Interim protection to the roof was done to prevent leaks during the rainy weather, said Lee.

Allied Construction is also renovating the drainage system and replacing the air-conditioning system. Work on the $1.6 million project started in April and is expected to be completed next month.

Lee noted that the air-conditioning system is deteriorating. Improvements have not been made to the system since the building was built in 1964, he said. About 75 percent of the project is completed.

FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM A bicyclist and pedestrian braved wet streets yesterday at Kapiolani Boulevard and Date Street.