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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, October 21, 2006

Rains will last a little bit longer

By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser Staff Writer

Don't put away your rain jackets and umbrellas yet. The National Weather Service says the weather will remain unsettled with showers likely and isolated thunderstorms through tomorrow.

Come tomorrow afternoon, normal tradewind weather should return, bringing sunshine and puffy clouds.

Until then, a flash flood watch has been issued for the entire state, said Norman Hui, National Weather Service forecaster. The Big Island experienced 1 inch to 2 inches of rain an hour overnight last night, and area flooding forced the state Department of Education to close Ka'u High, Pahala Elementary and Na'alehu Elementary schools.

On the Big Island, this week's earthquakes and aftershocks left the ground unstable and the weather service said landslides were possible. The heaviest rainfall was in Hilo and along the coast of Cape Kumukahi and South Point. The Big Island's Belt Highway near Kawa Flats was closed Thursday and parts of yesterday because of nearly 12 inches of rain on portions of the highway.

"Nature is really putting us to the test because of this rainfall," said Big Island Mayor Harry Kim.

The unstable air moved from the Big Island toward Moloka'i and west Maui late yesterday.

"Not much is happening on O'ahu," Hui said. "But the potential is there for us. This is not typical weather for us at this time of year. It's a bit early. Normally it's more November weather."

A flash flood warning was issued for Moloka'i and west Maui, but that was reduced to a flash flood watch last night.

Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com.