Alert archive / Hawaii / Flash Flood Warnings in 2005

Flash Flood Warning 24, NWS Honolulu, HI

September 15, 2005Hawaii County, Hawaii

NWS Honolulu, HI issued this flash flood warning at Sep 15, 2005, 7:48 AM HST for Hawaii 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
Sep 15, 2005, 7:48 AM HST (17:48 UTC)
Expired
Sep 15, 2005, 10:45 AM HST
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Honolulu, HI
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Hawaii 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

Hilo, (PITO), launched 12:00Z, 5.8 hours before the alert went out and 53 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-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Hilo, at 12:00Z on 2005-09-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1063 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Hilo, at 12:00Z on 2005-09-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -48 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
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
1063 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-3 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
566 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
6 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-48 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-53 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000
WGHW50 PHFO 151753
FFWHFO
HIC001-152045-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
748 AM HST THU SEP 15 2005

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 1045 AM HST

* AT 700 AM HST...THE PUBLIC REPORTED FLASH FLOODING FROM STORMS OVER
  THE WARNED AREA. 

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO HILO... 
  PEPEEKEO... PAPAIKOU...PAAUILO...OOKALA...LAUPAHOEHOE...HONOMU... 
  HAKALAU AND AKAKA FALLS STATE PARK.

RESIDENTS IN ONE HOUSE JUST 
ABOVE HILO ARE REPORTING FLOODING OF THE GROUND FLOOR DUE TO RUNOFF 
FROM THE HEAVY RAIN. SATELLITE AND RADAR ARE INDICATING MORE HEAVY 
RAIN JUST OFFSHORE OF WINDWARD KOHALA...HAMAKUA HILO AND PUNA...SO 
THE HEAVY RAINFALL IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THIS STORM WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING OF STREAMS
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.

THIS FLASH FLOOD WARNING MAY NEED TO BE EXTENDED BEYOND 1045 AM HST
IF FLASH FLOODING CONDITIONS PERSIST. 

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 2022 15595 1934 15488 1960 15466 2046 15571

$$

FARRELL
1 follow-up statement
000
WGHW70 PHFO 151935
FFSHFO

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
927 AM HST THU SEP 15 2005

HIC001-152045-
HAWAII-
927 AM HST THU SEP 15 2005

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 1045 AM HST FOR THE ISLAND
OF HAWAII IN HAWAII COUNTY...

AS OF 900 AM HST...2-HOUR RAIN GAGE TOTALS FROM THE HILO AREA 
INCLUDE 2.79 INCHES AT HILO AIRPORT...1.60 INCHES AT WAIAKEA UKA AND 
1.22 INCHES AT PIIHONUA.  AT 915 AM HST...THE PAHOA GAGE REPORTED 
0.71 INCHES IN A 15-MINUTE PERIOD.  

HAWAII COUNTY CIVIL DEFENSE REPORTED MANY STREETS IN HILO ARE CLOSED 
DUE TO FLOODING.  KAM AVENUE BETWEEN PONAHAWAI STREET AND THE IRON 
WORKS AREA IS ALSO CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO 
HILO...PEPEEKEO...PAPAIKOU...PAAUILO...OOKALA...LAUPAHOEHOE... 
HONOMU...HAKALAU...KEAAU AND PAHOA.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THIS STORM WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING OF STREAMS
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.

LAT...LON 2022 15595 1934 15488 1960 15466 2046 15571

$$

KODAMA

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 Sep 15, 5:45 AM HST, 2 hours 3 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 15, 5:45 AM HST, 2 hours 3 minutes before
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
545 AM HST THU SEP 15 2005

.SYNOPSIS...THE COMBINATION OF TROUGHING ALOFT AND ABUNDANT MOISTURE
NEAR THE SURFACE WILL KEEP HAWAII WEATHER WET THROUGH TODAY. DRIER
AND MORE STABLE WEATHER WILL ARRIVE BY THE WEEKEND. SURF ALONG
SOUTHERN SHORES WILL REMAIN ELEVATED THROUGH FRIDAY.

&&

.DISCUSSION...LITTLE HAS CHANGED FROM SEVEN HOURS AGO. A NORTHWARD
BULGE IN THE INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE HAS INTRODUCED ABUNDANT
LOW LEVEL MOISTURE ACROSS THE MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. AN UPPER TROUGH
JUST WEST OF THE MAIN ISLANDS IS PROVIDING ENOUGH INSTABILITY FOR
THE ATMOSPHERE TO TAP INTO THAT MOISTURE AND PRODUCE WIDESPREAD
SHOWERS...SOME HEAVY...AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. THE RAINFALL
FOCUS FROM 6 PM HST WEDNESDAY TO ABOUT MIDNIGHT WAS KAUAI AND
OAHU...WITH THE KUHIO HIGHWAY STILL CLOSED ACROSS THE HANALEI RIVER
ON KAUAI DUE TO FLOODING. THE FOCUS OF RAINFALL SHIFTED EAST TO MAUI
AFTER MIDNIGHT...WHERE SEVERAL RIVERS REACHED OR EXCEEDED FLOOD
STAGE. RADAR SHOWS A WIDE SWATH OF NORTHERN HALEAKALA SLOPES
RECEIVING 4 TO 6 INCHES OF RAIN OVER THE PAST THREE HOURS.

THE 06Z GFS75 SHOWS THE UPPER TROUGH WILL REMAIN NEAR THE ISLANDS
THROUGH LATE TODAY...ENHANCING SHOWERS OVER MAINLY WINDWARD AND
MAUKA AREAS. LEEWARD SLOPES OF THE BIG ISLAND MAY SEE SOME
ENHANCEMENT AS WELL IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. HOWEVER...EVEN
AFTER LIFTING NORTHWARD FRIDAY...MODELS SHOW THE TROUGH CUTS OFF
INTO AN UPPER LOW WHICH NEVER REALLY STRAYS MORE THAN 600 MILES
AWAY. THIS IS APPARENTLY FAR ENOUGH AWAY FOR GFS TO SHOW SIGNIFICANT
DRYING FOR THE ISLANDS FRIDAY AND THEREAFTER. AS THE UPPER TROUGH
LIFTS NORTHWARD...WEAK RIDGING WILL BUILD OVER THE STATE FROM THE
EAST. THIS WILL BRING A SLIGHT INCREASE IN STABILITY AND REDUCE THE
THREAT OF HEAVY SHOWERS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST PERIOD.
MORE IMPORTANTLY...THE REFORMATION OF THE INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE
ZONE 500 TO 600 MILES SOUTH OF THE BULGE NEAR THE ISLANDS WILL PUT A
CORK IN THE FLOW OF DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE NORTHWARD...GIVING
WHATEVER UPPER TROUGH OR LOW WHICH IS AROUND FAR LESS FUEL FOR
HEAVY SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. MODERATE TO LOCALLY FRESH
TRADE WINDS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS HIGH PRESSURE
PERSISTS NORTH OF THE STATE. TRADES MAY DECREASE SLIGHTLY EARLY NEXT
WEEK AS THE HIGH MOVES OFF TO THE NORTHEAST.

TROPICAL STORM JOVA IS LOCATED ABOUT 1670 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF
HILO. THE OFFICIAL FORECAST...ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER IN MIAMI...HAS JOVA STRENGTHENING INTO A MINIMAL HURRICANE
FRIDAY EVENING AS IT REACHES 13.6N 137.7W...ABOUT 1080 MILES EAST
SOUTHEAST OF HILO. JOVA IS THEN FORECAST TO WEAKEN BACK TO TROPICAL
STORM STRENGTH SATURDAY AFTERNOON WHILE STILL FAR SOUTHEAST OF THE
MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY INVOLVED IN TRACK
FORECASTING AT DAY FIVE...WE WILL HOLD OFF MAKING ANY CHANGES IN THE
LOCAL FORECAST AT THIS TIME AND WILL MAINTAIN A TRADE WIND FORECAST.
JOVA WILL BE CLOSELY MONITORED AS IT APPROACHES THE REGION. THE
CENTRAL PACIFIC HURRICANE CENTER WILL ASSUME FORECAST RESPONSIBILITY
FOR JOVA WHEN IT CROSSES 140W ON SATURDAY.

&&

.MARINE...SURF ALONG SOUTH FACING SHORES WILL REMAIN ELEVATED AT THE
15 FOOT WARNING LEVEL INTO THIS AFTERNOON. SURF IS EXPECTED TO
SUBSIDE BELOW WARNING LEVEL BY TONIGHT...YET REMAIN ABOVE THE
ADVISORY LEVEL OF 8 FEET INTO EARLY SATURDAY.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...ALL HAWAIIAN WATERS
HIGH SURF WARNING...SOUTH FACING SHORES
FLOOD WATCH...KAUAI OAHU MOLOKAI MAUI AND BIG ISLAND

&&

POWELL

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 14, 5:56 PM HSTFlash Flood WarningHFOKauai2 hr
Sep 14, 7:48 PM HSTFlash Flood WarningHFOKauai3 hr
Sep 14, 10:40 PM HSTFlash Flood WarningHFOKauai3 hr
Sep 15, 12:35 AM HSTFlash Flood WarningHFOKalawao3 hr
Sep 15, 1:26 AM HSTFlash Flood WarningHFOKauai3 hr
Sep 15, 10:45 AM HSTFlash Flood WarningHFOHawaii3 hr
Sep 15, 12:26 PM HSTFlash Flood WarningHFOHawaii3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Hawaii, 2005Every 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.