Posted at 6:44 a.m., Friday, October 20, 2006
Heavy rains close Big Island schools
Advertiser Staff
Heavy overnight rain closed roads and schools on the Big Island and the National Weather Service placed the entire state under a flash-flood watch through Sunday morning. Thunderstorms are forecast all today.Some areas could total as much as 10 inches or rain through the end of the weekend, said weather service lead forecaster
Ray Tanabe, with many spots on the Big Island already receiving rates of 1 to 2 inches an hour overnight.
Recent rain has left the ground saturated in many areas,especially on Maui and the Big Island. This week's earthquake and aftershocks have also left the ground unstable and the weather service said landslides are possible.
The heaviest overnight rain feel on Hilo and along the coast to Cape Kumukahi and South Point.
The Big Island's Belt Highway near Kawa Flats was closed about
9:30 p.m. yesterday because of nearly 12 inches of rain on portions of the highway.
Area flooding forced the state Department of Education to close Ka'u High, Pahala Elementary and Naalehu Elementary schools today.
At Pahala, which had received heavy rain earlier this week, the weather service rain gauge recorded 3.22 inches in a six-hour period last night.
The tradewinds, which have been absent for nearly a month, should make a strong comeback by the end of the weekend, Tanabe said.
"The trades are trying to move in now," he said. "Starting tomorrow you should see them near the Big Island slowly moving toward the rest of the islands. By Monday and Tuesday you should see some stiff breezes."
