LIHU‘E — A Kona low is forecast to bring widespread rainfall to Kaua‘i during the next few days, with the heaviest precipitation coming on Thursday and Friday.
As a result, the National Weather Service in Honolulu issued a flood watch through Saturday afternoon. The flood watch covers all the main Hawaiian Islands.
A Kona low is a low-pressure storm system that can produce hazards, such as heavy rainfall, flash flooding and hailstorms.
“Heavy rainfall will begin Thursday on the Big Island, spreading to the remaining islands Thursday night through Saturday,” the National Weather Service said in its flood watch statement. “Heavy rainfall rates for an extended amount of time are expected to result in flash flooding, particularly over already saturated areas.”
The forecast for Kaua‘i calls for rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches on Thursday night, with an east, northeast wind of 7-10 miles per hour.
Showers and possible thunderstorms are in the Friday forecast, with another 1 to 2 inches of rain during the day, with an east, southeast wind of 9 mph. The high should be around 75 degrees.
Another 1 to 2 inches of rain is forecast for Friday evening, as is a stiff east wind of 14 mph with gusts up to 18 mph. The low should be around 64 degrees.
Conditions should temper as the weekend progresses, with a 60 percent chance of rain on Saturday and a 30 percent chance on Saturday evening. The high is forecast near 76 degrees, with a low near 64 degrees.
The outlook for Sunday is brighter, with scattered showers before noon, and then mostly sunny skies later in the day. The high should be near 75 degrees, with a low around 59 degrees.
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Wyatt Haupt Jr., editor, can be reached at 808-245-0457 or whaupt@thegardenisland.com.
