Hawaii braces for torrential rain and flash flooding just weeks after life-threatening Kona lows
Another round of heavy rain and potential flooding is heading toward Hawaii, following powerful back-to-back Kona low storms that caused life-threatening floods and widespread damage across the islands.
Another round of heavy rain and potential flooding is heading toward Hawaii, following powerful back-to-back Kona low storms that caused life-threatening floods and widespread damage across the islands.
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This comes as many areas are still recovering from the earlier storms, which left homes and roads damaged by feet of water and mud.
Numerous communities were evacuated due to the Flash Flood Emergency, including Waialua and Haleiwa on Oahu's northern shore.
Residents told FOX Weather that people were forced to shelter on their roof to avoid the raging floodwaters.
Some areas, including Kane’ohe and Pu’u Ali’i experienced over 38 inches of rainfall in just a few days.
One Wahiawa resident, David Fuga, told FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray that some neighbors were completely devastated by the flooding.
"Mud up to 5 feet in their homes, lost all of their belongings," Fuga said.
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Governor Josh Green called it the worst flood the state had seen in 20 years and estimated that the storms could potentially cost up to $1 billion in damages.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, the next round of rain is expected to organize by midweek.
The low-pressure system will tap into moisture and strengthen the southerly winds, which will likely cause strong thunderstorms and heavy rain across areas that have already experienced record-breaking rainfall.
The new storm system has the potential to become severe if all the ingredients are aligned, including gusty downslope winds that may worsen as the low-pressure system gets closer to the islands.
The FOX Forecast Center will have a clearer picture of the storm’s intensity by Thursday.
That said, even though some of the region have seen a few weeks of drier weather, the ground is still unable to absorb much additional rainfall. Officials worry that even moderate rain could trigger more flash floods, runoff, and rising streams in regions that were already hit the hardest by the recent storms.
Stay with FOX Weather for the latest updates on Hawaii’s next storm system.
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