Alert archive / Hawaii / Flash Flood Warnings in 2005

Flash Flood Warning 1, NWS Honolulu, HI

January 1, 2005Kauai County, Hawaii

NWS Honolulu, HI issued this flash flood warning at Jan 1, 2005, 5:20 AM HST for Kauai County, Hawaii. It was in force for 3 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Jan 1, 2005, 5:20 AM HST (15:20 UTC)
Expired: Jan 1, 2005, 8:15 AM HST
In force: 3 hr
Issued by: NWS Honolulu, HI
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Kauai County, HI

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this flash flood warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Lihue, (PHLI), launched 12:00Z, 3.3 hours before the alert went out and 24 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.

Mixed-layer CAPE: 180 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -13 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 935 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 39 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 107 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 263 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.1
Supercell composite: 1.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000
WGHW50 PHFO 011520
FFWHFO
HIC007-011820-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
520 AM HST SAT JAN 1 2005

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  THE ISLAND OF KAUAI IN KAUAI COUNTY

* UNTIL 815 AM HST

* AT 500 AM HST...THE PUBLIC REPORTED WATER RISING TO THE RIM OF A 
  WASH AT THE WAILUA HOUSE LOT. RADAR INDICATES A LINE OF   
  THUNDERSTORMS JUST SOUTHWEST OF KAUAI WILL AFFECT THE ISLAND IN 
  THE COMING HOUR...BRINGING HEAVY RAIN.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO WAIMEA
  CANYON STATE PARK....NA PALI COAST STATE PARK....KOKEE STATE 
  PARK....POLIHALE STATE PARK...KAPAA...KILAUEA...KALALAU 
  LOOKOUT...HANALEI AND ANAHOLA.

THIS FLASH FLOOD WARNING REPLACES THE URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD 
ADVISORY THAT WAS IN EFFECT.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM CONTINUOUS RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING 
OF STREAMS...HIGHWAYS...UNDERPASSES AND LOW LYING AREAS AND COULD 
ALSO TRIGGER ROCK AND MUDSLIDES IN STEEP TERRAIN

MOTORISTS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR FLOODING AND SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO
CROSS FAST FLOWING OR RISING WATER...MANY FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR
WHEN MOTORISTS TRY CROSSING FLOODED ROADWAYS. TURN AROUND...DON/T
DROWN.

ESCAPE RISING WATER BY CLIMBING DIRECTLY TO HIGHER GROUND. NEVER TRY
TO OUTRACE A FLOOD...EITHER ON FOOT OR IN YOUR VEHICLE. DO NOT CAMP
NEAR STREAMS OR OTHER AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER LOCAL MEDIA SOURCES FOR THE
LATEST SEVERE WEATHER INFORMATION. REPORT FLOODING TO THE POLICE FOR
IMMEDIATE RELAY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

LAT...LON 2193 15982 2182 15954 2189 15923 2230 15930
      2224 15978

$$

HUI

3 follow-up statements

000
WGHW70 PHFO 011632
FFSHFO

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
631 AM HST SAT JAN 1 2005

HIC007-011815-
KAUAI-
631 AM HST SAT JAN 1 2005

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 815 AM FOR KAUAI...

AT 631 AM...RADAR SHOWED VERY HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT 
WILL BE MOVING ACROSS THE ISLAND OF KAUAI EARLY THIS MORNING. THIS 
RAIN WILL BE FALLING ON ALREADY SATURATED GROUND...WHICH WILL LEAD 
TO FLASH FLOODING OF RIVERS AND STREAMS. 

AT 615 AM...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED CLOSING THE HANALEI RIVER 
BRIDGE.

DO NOT DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. IT ONLY TAKES A 
FEW INCHES OF WATER TO FLOAT MOST VEHICLES. MANY FLASH FLOOD DEATHS 
OCCUR WHEN MOTORISTS TRY CROSSING FLOODED ROADWAYS.

ESCAPE RISING WATER BY CLIMBING DIRECTLY TO HIGHER GROUND. NEVER TRY
TO OUTRACE A FLOOD...EITHER ON FOOT OR IN YOUR VEHICLE. DO NOT CAMP
NEAR STREAMS OR OTHER AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING.

LAT...LON 2193 15982 2182 15954 2189 15923 2230 15930
      2224 15978

$$
R BALLARD

000
WGHW70 PHFO 011746
FFSHFO

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
745 AM HST SAT JAN 1 2005

HIC007-011815-
KAUAI-
745 AM HST SAT JAN 1 2005

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 815 AM HST FOR KAUAI...

AT 745 AM...AUTOMATED RAIN GAUGES WERE DETECTING THAT VERY HEAVY 
RAIN WAS FALLING OVER PORTIONS OF KAUAI. NEARLY AN INCH AND A 
QUARTER OF RAIN HAD FALLEN IN THE PAST HOUR AT KAPAHI.

THE HEAVY RAIN IS FALLING ON SATURATED GROUND. STREAMS AND CREEKS 
ARE REPORTED TO BE NEAR BANKFULL IN SOME AREAS...AND ADDITIONAL 
HEAVY RAIN WILL RESULT IN RAPID FLOODING. THE HEAVY RAINS WILL 
LIKELY BE TAPERING OFF THIS MORNING...BUT DANGEROUS RUN0FF WILL 
CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL MORE HOURS.

NEVER DRIVE ACROSS AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. IT ONLY TAKES 
A FEW INCHES OF WATER TO FLOAT MOST VEHICLES. MANY FLASH FLOOD 
DEATHS RESULT WHEN MOTORISTS TRY CROSSING FLOODED ROADWAYS. TURN 
AROUND...DON/T DROWN.

REPORT FLOODING TO THE POLICE AND ASK THEM TO IMMEDIATELY RELAY 
YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

LAT...LON 2193 15982 2182 15954 2189 15923 2230 15930
      2224 15978

$$
R BALLARD

000
WGHW70 PHFO 011748 CCA
FFSHFO

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT...CORRECTED RAINFALL AMOUNT AT KAPAHI
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
745 AM HST SAT JAN 1 2005

HIC007-011815-
KAUAI-
745 AM HST SAT JAN 1 2005

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 815 AM HST FOR KAUAI...

AT 745 AM...AUTOMATED RAIN GAUGES WERE DETECTING THAT VERY HEAVY 
RAIN WAS FALLING OVER PORTIONS OF KAUAI. OVER AN INCH AND 
THREE-QUARTERS OF RAIN HAD FALLEN IN THE PAST HOUR AT KAPAHI.

THE HEAVY RAIN IS FALLING ON SATURATED GROUND. STREAMS AND CREEKS 
ARE REPORTED TO BE NEAR BANKFULL IN SOME AREAS...AND ADDITIONAL 
HEAVY RAIN WILL RESULT IN RAPID FLOODING. THE HEAVY RAINS WILL 
LIKELY BE TAPERING OFF THIS MORNING...BUT DANGEROUS RUN0FF WILL 
CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL MORE HOURS.

NEVER DRIVE ACROSS AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. IT ONLY TAKES 
A FEW INCHES OF WATER TO FLOAT MOST VEHICLES. MANY FLASH FLOOD 
DEATHS RESULT WHEN MOTORISTS TRY CROSSING FLOODED ROADWAYS. TURN 
AROUND...DON/T DROWN.

REPORT FLOODING TO THE POLICE AND ASK THEM TO IMMEDIATELY RELAY 
YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

LAT...LON 2193 15982 2182 15954 2189 15923 2230 15930
      2224 15978

$$
R BALLARD

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Honolulu, HI wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Dec 31, 4:00 PM HST, 13 hours 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 31, 4:00 PM HST, 13 hours 20 minutes before

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
400 PM HST FRI DEC 31 2004

.SYNOPSIS...
A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM ABOUT 725 MILES WEST SOUTHWEST OF KAUAI IS
NEARLY STATIONARY. RAIN ALONG A FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOW WILL
SPREAD FROM KAUAI TO OAHU TONIGHT...AND THE REMAINING ISLANDS
SATURDAY. REMNANTS OF THIS FRONT WILL LINGER OVER MAUI COUNTY AND
THE BIG ISLAND THROUGH SUNDAY. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN AS THE LOW
EXITS TO OUR NORTH WILL BRING COOL NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS IN THE
EARLY PART OF NEXT...WITH LIGHT TRADES FILLING IN THEREAFTER.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
ALTHOUGH LESS INTENSE THAN WHAT FELL LAST NIGHT...PERIODS OF
RAINFALL CONTINUED TO AFFECT THE GARDEN ISLE TODAY...WITH GAGES
ISLAND WIDE REPORTING TOTALS IN THE ONE HALF TO ONE INCH RANGE OVER
THE 6 HOUR PERIOD ENDING AT 2 PM. THESE...IN ADDITION TO THE
OVERNIGHT NUMBERS...PUSHED 24 HOUR TOTALS THROUGH 2 PM UP TO 3 TO 5
INCHES FOR MOST GAGES ON KAUAI...WITH HANALEI AND WAIALEALE
REPORTING UPWARDS OF 6 INCHES. OAHU AND MOLOKAI ALSO SAW SOME
SHOWERS...THOUGH AMOUNTS WERE CONSIDERABLY LESS CONSIDERING THE
BREVITY OF THE EVENTS.

THE OVERALL FORECAST PHILOSOPHY REMAINS UNCHANGED...BUT OF COURSE
BEING NEW YEARS EVE...EVERYTHING HINGES ON TIMING...OH THE TIMING.
PERIODS OF RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT KAUAI OVERNIGHT. THOUGH
SKIES WILL REMAIN CLOUDY OVER MAUI COUNTY AND THE BIG ISLAND
OVERNIGHT...ANY SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL SHOULD HOLD OFF UNTIL EARLY
SATURDAY MORNING. OAHU PRESENTS THE MOST CHALLENGING FORECAST
CONCERNING THE TIMING. RATHER THAN A SINGLE AND STRONG LOW PRESSURE
SYSTEM TO OUR WEST AS WAS THE CASE OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF DAY...A
COMPLEX LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM NOW RESIDES WEST OF THE STATE. A WEAK
SURFACE LOW SITS NEARLY STATIONARY ALL BY ITSELF NEAR 19N 170.5W.
ANOTHER LOW IS NEAR 31.5N 166.5W. A WEAK FRONT CONNECTS THIS SECOND
LOW TO A THIRD LOW NEAR 21N 164W. FROM THIS THIRD LOW THE FRONT
EXTENDS SOUTH THROUGH 20N 163W TO 16N 163W TO 10N 167W. THE FRONT
HAS BEEN NEARLY STATIONARY TODAY. SINGLE OR COMPLEX LOW
ASIDE...MODELS REMAIN PERSISTENT SHIFTING THE ASSOCIATED RAINFALL
NEAR OAHU THIS EVENING. WHILE CLOUD TOPS AROUND THE ISLAND HAVE
WARMED OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF HOURS AND THE SHOWERS HAVE LIGHTENED
UP A BIT...BELIEVE CLOUD TOP COOLING WILL HELP TO GET THINGS MOVING
TONIGHT.

ALTHOUGH FLASH FLOOD INTENSITY RAINFALL IS NOT BEING OBSERVED AT
THE MOMENT OVER KAUAI...BRIEF PERIODS OF HEAVY RAINFALL OR
THUNDERSTORMS IN ADDITION TO THE STEADY RAINFALL MIGHT BE ALL IT
TAKES TO PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING.

A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OF SOME SORT IS EXPECTED TO LINGER FAR NORTH
OF THE ISLANDS AND AS WELL AS A HIGH FURTHER NORTHWEST. THIS
ARRANGEMENT WILL KEEP LIGHT TO MODERATE AND SOMEWHAT COOL NORTH TO
NORTHWEST WINDS OVER THE ISLANDS THROUGH THE EARLY PART OF NEXT
WEEK. FORECAST CHARTS INDICATE THE AIR MASS WILL BECOME MORE STABLE
THUS WE SHOULD SEE MUCH LESS SHOWERS AND CLOUDS THEN. A RIDGE IS NOW
EXPECTED TO REBUILD NORTH OF THE ISLANDS BY THE LATER PART OF NEXT
WEEK...WITH LIGHT TRADE WINDS RETURNING THEN.

&&

.MARINE...
THE NEXT SIGNIFICANT NORTHWEST SWELL IS STILL EXPECTED TO REACH THE
ISLANDS SUNDAY AND POSSIBLY REACHING WARNING SURF HEIGHTS BY MONDAY.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FLASH FLOOD WATCH NIIHAU KAUAI AND OAHU THROUGH NEW YEARS DAY.

&&

TANABE

The office that day

Everything else NWS Honolulu, HI issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jan 1, 8:18 AM HST	Flash Flood Warning	HFO	Kauai	3 hr
Jan 1, 8:35 AM HST	Special Marine Warning	HFO		55 min
Jan 1, 8:50 AM HST	Special Marine Warning	HFO		40 min
Jan 1, 9:30 AM HST	Special Marine Warning	HFO		90 min
Jan 1, 11:01 AM HST	Special Marine Warning	HFO		89 min
Jan 1, 11:15 AM HST	Flash Flood Warning	HFO	Kauai	3 hr
Jan 1, 12:30 PM HST	Special Marine Warning	HFO		60 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Hawaii, 2005 Every flash flood warning in 2005

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.