A powerful storm has slammed into Hawaii, causing serious disruptions across the islands. Flash flooding, strong winds, and thunderstorms have left thousands of people without power, while roads are blocked by fallen trees and flooding. The storm has even grounded air traffic, creating chaos on the islands.
Nearly 50,000 homes and businesses lost power by Thursday afternoon, and the Hawaii Department of Transportation reported several trees down, which affected traffic signals across Oahu, Maui, and Kauai. To make matters worse, Hawaii had to ground all inter-island flights for a while, with some flights being rerouted to Lihue. Though the flight stop was lifted in the afternoon, the storm’s effects are still being felt.
As the storm continues, flash flood warnings and severe storm alerts are posted across all islands. On Kauai, Maui, and Oahu, gusts of wind over 55 mph are being reported, and torrential rain is falling at a rate of 2-3 inches per hour in some places. This intense rain is raising the risk of mudslides and landslides, which could cause even more damage.
One of the main causes of this intense storm is a weather pattern known as a Kona Low, which is bringing high winds to all of Hawaii, with gusts over 60 mph expected to continue into Friday afternoon. The island of Lihue already reported a gust of 58 mph earlier.
Meanwhile, the Big Island’s high mountain peaks are seeing a winter storm that’s almost unheard of in Hawaii. Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa are bracing for 18-24 inches of snow, and winds up to 85 mph are making conditions dangerously blizzard-like. It’s a rare sight for the state’s tropical paradise.
Earlier in the week, Hawaii had already seen flash floods, with footage from Sunday showing dangerous conditions at Waimea Falls on Oahu. The video showed a sudden rush of muddy water pouring over the falls, flooding the area below. Another clip showed water gushing down a hill, sweeping away the ground below.
On Maui, three young girls had to be rescued from a rock outcrop in Iao Stream after getting trapped by rising waters. Emergency crews were able to get them to safety.
While the storm is causing major headaches, it should start clearing out by Friday, and things should improve in time for the weekend. Until then, people in Hawaii are bracing for the worst, but hoping the worst of the storm passes quickly.
