Lightning storm a preview of more wet weather today

By Curtis Lum and Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Staff Writers

A bicyclist navigates a puddle on the University of Hawai'i-Manoa campus during heavy rains yesterday. Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

And the storm may have just been getting started.

Kaua'i was expecting severe wind and rain early today, with rain picking up on O'ahu this morning and becoming heaviest in the early afternoon. Winds were expected to lash vegetation still recovering from the powerful windstorm Jan. 15.

"The winds are going to be pretty strong, although it's not going to be as bad as Jan. 15," said Jim Weyman, meteorologist in charge at the National Weather Service.

Winds today were expected to gust in the 40 mph to 45 mph range. Last month's winds reached 85 mph, damaging roofs, snapping trees and utility poles and causing extensive power outages. The island's utilities were bracing last night for the heavy weather.

Hawaiian Electric Co. will double the normal number of work crews beginning at 4 this morning, as well as add extra customer service workers to answer telephone calls, said HECO spokesman Peter Rosegg.

"We learned from the January storm and that when we know weather is coming, we need to be a little more proactive," Rosegg said. "The January storm we upped the ante, but we've gone a little further this time thinking we learned from that."

Yesterday, about 4,000 customers in the Salt Lake and Pearl City areas lost power. All had their electricity restored by 6 p.m., Rosegg said.

The weather service issued a flash-flood warning yesterday, and will keep it in place through today for most of the state, although Weyman said the storm is moving so quickly — 15 mph to 20 mph — that it was unlikely the rain would remain in one place long enough to cause severe flash floods.

Yesterday, a bolt of lightning injured a lance corporal who was training at Marine Corps Base Hawai'i in Kane'ohe. The man, whose name was not released, was training with other Marines at the rifle range when heavy rain began to fall.

The Marines were told to leave the range and the injured man, a member of Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, was one of the last off the range, said Marine Corps spokesman Cpl. Jason Miller. The lightning struck a utility pole and then the Marine, who was about 50 feet away.

The injured man was taken to Castle Medical Center, where he was in stable condition with minor injuries, said Maj. Chris Hughes. "We're not sure if the electricity jumped or if he just received some residual shock, but it knocked him to the ground pretty hard," Hughes said.

The state's windward areas could get the brunt of the storm today, as south and southwest winds cross the islands and sweep down northeast-facing hills, Weyman of the weather service said.

Road worker Jimmie Kia directed traffic during a downpour yesterday on Alala Road in Kailua, which closed a lane because of flooding. A flash-flood warning was issued and will be kept in place today. Associated Press

Rain and thunderstorms pounded Waimanalo yesterday.

"The rain was heavy. My garage was flooded, and that's the first time that ever happened," said Daniel Kapuniai, who has lived in Waimanalo for 40 years. "It was like a waterfall off my roof."

Even normally dry Honolulu Airport had 2.6 inches between noon and 3 p.m.

Tony Roy, owner of Marmol HI Natural Stones in flood-prone Mapunapuna, was setting up a pump as rainwater began to rise at his Pu'uloa Road shop yesterday afternoon.

"We got this pump from FKS Rentals," Roy said. "We called and begged them to stay open. Their phones were ringing off the hook when we got there, so I think we got one of the last of their pumps before they closed."

A downed power line on Salt Lake Boulevard caused a power failure in several nearby neighborhoods, said Hawaiian Electric Co. spokesman Jose Dizon. About 1,700 customers lost power in the Foster Village area at 1:43 p.m., he said, and another 1,400 customers lost power at 1:50 p.m.

Communities throughout O'ahu reported brief outages.

Heavy rain hammered the USS Arizona Memorial Visitors Center about 2 p.m. with such force that officials closed it to the public 15 minutes later, said spokesman Brad Baker.

"The whole visitor center is flooded right now," he said at about 3 p.m. "Our parking lot, everything. It's pouring. It is just not safe for visitors to come out."

Baker did not know when the center would reopen.

The Honolulu Fire Department responded to 26 storm-related calls, including 11 reports of flooded conditions, eight auto accidents, one car that was floating in flood water, and a lightning strike in Salt Lake, said spokesman Capt. Kenison Tejada. None of the incidents resulted in serious damage or injuries.

In Pearlridge, tons of mud and debris washed from the old Kam Drive-In Theater after a drainage system broke yesterday afternoon. The mess closed two lanes of makai-bound traffic on Kaonohi Street for several hours.

The thunder and lightning, accompanied by rain, that hit Kaua'i and O'ahu yesterday afternoon were in advance of the passing front. Weyman said the stormy weather has three distinct features. Before the front's arrival, unstable air allowed thunderstorms to form over Kaua'i and O'ahu, causing yesterday's rain.

As the front passes over the islands, cooler air will push warm moist air upward, creating a region of thunderstorms with significant wind and rain.

Winds will then change from southerly to northerly, and the weather will turn cooler and clearer for a day or so before another rainy period expected over the Islands starting late Saturday.

Advertiser staff writers Mike Gordon and Will Hoover and the Associated Press contributed to this report. Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8025. Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808)245-3074.