Alert archive / Hawaii / Flash Flood Warnings in 2005

Flash Flood Warning 28, NWS Honolulu, HI

September 23, 2005Honolulu County, Hawaii

NWS Honolulu, HI issued this flash flood warning at Sep 23, 2005, 5:04 PM HST for Honolulu County, Hawaii. It was in force for 3 hr. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Sep 23, 2005, 5:04 PM HST (03:04 UTC)
Expired
Sep 23, 2005, 8:00 PM HST
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Honolulu, HI
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Honolulu County, HI

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Sep 23, 5:10 PM HSTFLOODKaneohe, HIFLOODED ROADS NEAR WINDWARD MALL. FIRE DEPT TRYING TO PUMP WATER AWAY.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

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 00:00Z, 3.1 hours before the alert went out and 159 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, Lihue, at 00:00Z on 2005-09-24Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1121 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Lihue, at 00:00Z on 2005-09-24The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 18 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
1121 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-13 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
941 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
18 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
55 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
1.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000
WGHW50 PHFO 240309
FFWHFO
HIC003-240600-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
504 PM HST FRI SEP 23 2005

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  THE ISLAND OF OAHU IN HONOLULU COUNTY

* UNTIL 800 PM HST

* AT 500 PM HST...AUTOMATED RAIN GAGES AND RADAR INDICATED HEAVY 
  RAINFALL CONTINUED TO AFFECT THE KOOLAU MOUNTAIN RANGE AND THE 
  WINDWARD COAST OF OAHU.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  WAIMANALO...PUNALUU...MAUNAWILI...LAIE...WAIHOLE...KANEOHE...
  KAILUA...KAHUKU...KAHALUU...KAAAWA AND HAUULA.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THIS STORM WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING OF
STREAMS...HIGHWAYS...UNDERPASSES AND LOW LYING AREAS.

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 2169 15805 2133 15786 2132 15766 2146 15772
      2174 15797

$$
3 follow-up statements
000
WGHW70 PHFO 240325
FFSHFO

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
518 PM HST FRI SEP 23 2005

HIC003-240600-
HONOLULU-
518 PM HST FRI SEP 23 2005

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 800 PM HST FOR THE ISLAND OF
OAHU IN HONOLULU COUNTY...

AT 512 PM HST LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED FLOODING ALONG 
KAMEHAMEHA HIGHWAY IN THE WAIHEE AREA AND A MUDSLIDE NEAR KALAHEO 
HIGH SCHOOL. IN ADDITION...OAHU CIVIL DEFENSE REPORTED A HOUSE WAS 
FLOODED IN HAUULA. THE PUBLIC HAS ALSO REPORTED FLOODING OF ROADS 
NEAR WINDWARD MALL AND THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ON SCENE AND 
ATTEMPTING TO PUMP WATER OFF THE ROADS. CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN 
FAVORABLE FOR HEAVY SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH 8 PM 
HST.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING AREA INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO 
WAIMANALO...PUNALUU...MAUNAWILI...LAIE...WAIHOLE...KANEOHE... 
KAILUA...KAHUKU...KAHALUU...KAAAWA AND HAUULA.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THIS STORM WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING OF
STREAMS...HIGHWAYS...UNDERPASSES AND LOW LYING AREAS.

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.

LAT...LON 2169 15805 2133 15786 2132 15766 2146 15772
      2174 15797

$$
000
WGHW70 PHFO 240419
FFSHFO

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
614 PM HST FRI SEP 23 2005

HIC003-240600-
HONOLULU-
614 PM HST FRI SEP 23 2005

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 800 PM HST FOR THE ISLAND OF
OAHU IN HONOLULU COUNTY...

AT 605 PM HST...RADAR AND RAIN GAGES INDICATED VERY HEAVY RAIN 
CONTINUED TO FALL OVER WINDWARD OAHU...AND THE STORMS WERE NEARLY 
STATIONARY. HEAVIEST RAINFALL IS OCCURRING FROM WAIMANALO TO 
KANEOHE...AND FROM WAIKANE TO LAIE. 

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO PUNALUU... 
LAIE...KAHUKU...HAUULA...KANEOHE...KAILUA...OLOMANA AND WAIMANALO. 

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ALONG 
WINDWARD OAHU THROUGH 800 PM...AND WIDESPREAD FLOODING WILL 
CONTINUE TO AFFECT WINDWARD OAHU.

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. 

LAT...LON 2169 15805 2133 15786 2132 15766 2146 15772
      2174 15797

$$

BIRCHARD
000
WGHW70 PHFO 240529
FFSHFO

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
724 PM HST FRI SEP 23 2005

HIC003-240600-
HONOLULU-
724 PM HST FRI SEP 23 2005

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 800 PM HST FOR THE ISLAND OF
OAHU IN HONOLULU COUNTY...

AT 716 PM HST...RADAR INDICATED THAT THE WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAIN AND 
THUNDERSTORMS OVER WINDWARD OAHU HAD WEAKENED. HOWEVER...THE FLASH 
FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM AS RUNOFF FROM EARLIER 
HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES...AND WATER CONTINUES TO COVER THE ROADWAY IN 
MANY AREAS.  

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO PUNALUU...
LAIE...KANEOHE...KAILUA...MAUNAWILI...KAHUKU...KAHALUU...WAIKANE AND
HAUULA.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THIS EVENING/S STORMS WILL CAUSE FLASH 
FLOODING OF STREAMS...HIGHWAYS...UNDERPASSES AND LOW LYING AREAS.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS.

MOTORISTS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR FLOODING AND SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO
CROSS FAST FLOWING OR RISING WATER. TURN AROUND...DON/T DROWN.

LAT...LON 2169 15805 2133 15786 2132 15766 2146 15772
      2174 15797

$$

BIRCHARD

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 23, 4:00 PM HST, 1 hour 4 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 23, 4:00 PM HST, 1 hour 4 minutes before
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
400 PM HST FRI SEP 23 2005

.SYNOPSIS...
A MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS OVER THE STATE WILL MAINTAIN THE THREAT
OF LOCALLY HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE EARLY
EVENING..AND AGAIN SATURDAY AFTERNOON. THE THREAT WILL DIMINISH
SUNDAY AS THE UPPER LOW RESPONSIBLE FOR THE UNSTABLE CONDITIONS
MOVES AWAY FROM THE STATE. EXPECT A GRADUAL SHIFT TOWARD TRADE WIND
WEATHER OVER THE FIRST HALF OF NEXT WEEK.

&&

.DISCUSSION...TROPICAL STORM JOVA...CURRENTLY 300 MILES NORTHEAST OF
HILO...CONTINUES TO WEAKEN ON A TRACK THAT IS NOT EXPECTED CROSS THE
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. WHILE JOVA ITSELF WILL NOT AFFECT THE STATE
DIRECTLY...WE WILL FEEL INDIRECT IMPACTS IN THE WAY OF LIGHT TRADES
AND A MOIST AIRMASS. IN ADDITION...THE SAME TROUGH WHICH IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR TURNING JOVA ON A NORTHWESTWARD TRACK TO THE EAST OF
THE ISLANDS...IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE UNSTABLE AIRMASS IN PLACE
OVER THE ISLANDS.

WEATHER WISE...OAHU LIVED UP TO ITS NICKNAME AS THE GATHERING PLACE
TODAY AS HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AFFECTED SEVERAL AREAS OF
THE ISLANDS. WHILE AFTERNOON HEATING COMBINED WITH THE UNSTABLE
AIRMASS PRODUCED CLOUDS AND SHOWERS ACROSS ALL ISLANDS TODAY...OAHU
WAS HIT HARDEST AS THE NORMALLY WESTWARD EXTENDING BIG ISLAND PLUME
DRIFTED NORTHWARD AND OVER OAHU...PROVIDING AN ADDITIONAL BOOST.
REPORTS OF HEAVY RAINFALL...THUNDER AND LIGHTNING STARTED TO COME IN
FROM THE WINDWARD SIDE JUST BEFORE LUNCH AND CONTINUED THROUGH THE
EARLY AFTERNOON. OVER THE SIX HOUR PERIOD ENDING AT 2 PM HST...SOME
IMPRESSIVE RAINFALL TOTALS WERE NOTED ALONG THE KOOLAUS.
LULUKU...WAIHEE...AND AHUIMANU RECORDED 2.22 2.64 AND 3.71
INCHES...RESPECTIVELY. LATER...HEAVY RAINFALL AFFECTED THE NORTH
SHORE AREA BETWEEN HALEIWA AND MOKULEIA PROMPTING THE ISSUANCE OF A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING.

AS THE HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE DUE IN PART TO THE
AFTERNOON HEATING...EXPECT THE SHOWERS TO DIMINISH AS THE EVENING
PROGRESSES. ON SATURDAY...ANTICIPATE THE MORNING WILL START OFF
PRETTY GOOD...SIMILAR TO TODAY...BUT CONDITIONS REMAIN CONDUCIVE FOR
ANOTHER ROUND OF LOCALLY HEAVY SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS IN
THE AFTERNOON. WILL ONLY MENTION THUNDERSTORMS FOR KAUAI AND
OAHU..AS THEY ARE CLOSEST TO THE UPPER LOW. ON SUNDAY...STILL EXPECT
AFTERNOON CLOUDS AND SHOWERS BUT CHANCE FOR HEAVY SHOWERS WILL
DIMINISH SIGNIFICANTLY AS RIDGING OVERHEAD PUSHES THE UPPER LOW
FURTHER AWAY FROM THE ISLANDS.

EXPECT A GRADUAL CHANGE IN THE WEATHER PATTERN TOWARD TRADE WIND
CONDITIONS EARLY NEXT WEEK. HOWEVER...TROPICAL STORM KENNETH IS
LURKING OVER 1100 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF HILO...AND IS FORECAST TO
CROSS 140W SOMETIME SUNDAY NIGHT. EFFECTS OF KENNETH...IF ANY...ON
THE MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS REMAIN MORE THAN A WEEK AWAY.

&&

.MARINE...
SURF ACROSS EAST FACING SHORES FROM TROPICAL STORM JOVA HAVE FALLEN
BELOW THE ADVISORY LEVEL OF 8 FEET...THUS THE HIGH SURF ADVISORY HAS
BEEN CANCELLED.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE.

&&

TANABE

In the hours before

Local storm report, Sep 23, 11:57 AM HST, 5 hours 7 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
1157 AM HST FRI SEP 23 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1110 AM     LIGHTNING        3 SW KAILUA             21.37N 157.77W
09/23/2005                   HONOLULU           HI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            THUNDER AND LIGHTNING OVER PALI.

1135 AM     HEAVY RAIN       KANEOHE                 21.41N 157.79W
09/23/2005  0.00 INCH        HONOLULU           HI   PUBLIC

1126 AM     LIGHTNING        KAILUA                  21.40N 157.74W
09/23/2005                   HONOLULU           HI   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            HPD REPORTED THAT LIGHTNING HIT A TREE IN KAILUA.

&&

MFARNSWO
Local storm report, Sep 23, 1:39 PM HST, 3 hours 25 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
139 PM HST FRI SEP 23 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0104 PM     HEAVY RAIN       HALAWA                  21.38N 157.92W
09/23/2005  0.00 INCH        HONOLULU           HI   EMERGENCY MNGR

            MINOR FLOODING IN HALAWA VALLEY

&&

LREED
Local storm report, Sep 23, 4:25 PM HST, 39 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
425 PM HST FRI SEP 23 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0400 PM     FLOOD            3 S KANEOHE             21.37N 157.79W
09/23/2005                   HONOLULU           HI   NWS EMPLOYEE

            FLOODED ROADWAYS FROM KANEOHE TO PALI GOLF COURSE.

&&

NH
Local storm report, Sep 23, 4:42 PM HST, 22 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
442 PM HST FRI SEP 23 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0438 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     MILILANI TOWN           21.45N 158.02W
09/23/2005                   HONOLULU           HI   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

LREED

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 23, 3:04 PM HSTFlash Flood WarningHFOHonolulu3 hr
Sep 23, 8:00 PM HSTFlash Flood WarningHFOHonolulu3 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.