Posted on: Thursday, December 23, 2004
More rain coming for wet Christmas
By Mike Gordon
Advertiser Staff Writer
With scattered showers in the forecast every day through the Christmas weekend, you might consider an umbrella as a stocking-stuffer.
Yesterday's rain was expected to be the heaviest, said National Weather Service forecaster Jonathan Hoag. A cold front approaching Kaua'i created unstable conditions and brought the showers, which were heaviest yesterday morning.
Windward O'ahu saw the most rain, with more than 2 inches falling in several areas over a 24-hour period that ended at 2:45 p.m. More than 2 inches also were measured at the airport, Palolo, Aloha Tower and in Moanalua.
At the same time, a strong west-northwest swell continued to lash exposed shorelines with towering waves. The swell was expected to peak yesterday and slowly decline today and tomorrow, the weather service said.
"The heavy showers affected a lot of O'ahu during the early morning and during the rush hour," Hoag said. "It really affected the H-1 Freeway with the amount they dumped."
The showers moved eastward by midday and were unusually heavy on Moloka'i, Hoag said.
The weather service issued an urban and small-stream flood advisory yesterday morning for O'ahu, Moloka'i and Lana'i.
Ponding was reported on many roadways including Nimitz Highway and the freeway through Pearl City and downtown, snarling traffic. Wilson Tunnel was closed in both directions yesterday because of an oil spill caused in a traffic accident and also a car fire.
"Steady ponding and a lot of irritation for drivers but nothing serious for now," said John Cummings, spokesman for O'ahu Civil Defense.
The weather service predicted wave faces of 20 to 25 feet on north- and west-facing shores of Kaua'i today. Wave faces on O'ahu's north-facing shores are expected to be 20 to 25 feet today. Surf along west-facing shores will be in the 6- to 15-foot range.
Lifeguards on O'ahu's North Shore estimated the waves yesterday were 10 to 20 feet when measured with the traditional scale, which downplays by about one-third to one-half the wave size issued by the National Weather Service.
Waves frequently washed over the beach and up to the vegetation line, said North Shore lifeguard Lt. Pat Kelly.
"We are encouraging everyone to stay off the beaches," Kelly said. "If they go on the beach and then a wave goes up to the vegetation line, they can get knocked over and dragged into the ocean and drown."
Kelly recommended that beachgoers and tourists go Christmas shopping instead.
"To come down here where it is ugly and no one is surfing would be a poor choice," he said.
Staff writer Curtis Lum contributed to this report. Reach Mike Gordon at mgordon@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8012.
