Alert archive / Hawaii / Flash Flood Warnings in 2006

Flash Flood Warning 5, NWS Honolulu, HI

January 26, 2006Hawaii County, Hawaii

NWS Honolulu, HI issued this flash flood warning at Jan 26, 2006, 7:39 PM 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
Jan 26, 2006, 7:39 PM HST (05:39 UTC)
Expired
Jan 26, 2006, 10:45 PM 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 00:00Z, 5.7 hours before the alert went out and 69 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 00:00Z on 2006-01-27Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 129 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, Hilo, at 00:00Z on 2006-01-27The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -1 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
129 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-2 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
614 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
5 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-1 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
32 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 270544
FFWHFO
HIC001-270845-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
739 PM HST THU JAN 26 2006

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 1045 PM HST

* AT 731 PM HST...RADAR SHOWED A BAND OF HEAVY RAIN BETWEEN NAALEHU 
  AND WOOD VALLEY. A SECOND BAND OF HEAVY RAINS HAS MOVED ONSHORE TO 
  THE PUNA DISTRICT BETWEEN KAPOHO AND THE VOLCANOES PARK.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  PAHALA...NAALEHU...HIGHWAY 11 NEAR KAWA FLATS...WOOD VALLEY...  
  PAHOA...GLENWOOD...MOUNTAIN VIEW AND VOLCANO.

STAY AWAY FROM STREAMS AND LOW LYING AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING 
ESPECIALLY IN THE KAU AND PUNA DISTRICTS.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THIS STORM WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING OF STREAMS
AND COULD ALSO TRIGGER ROCK AND MUDSLIDES IN STEEP TERRAIN.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS SINCE IT IS HARDER TO SEE FLASH FLOODING IN
THE DARK. AVOID TRAVEL.

DO NOT TRY TO CROSS FAST FLOWING OR RISING WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE OR
ON FOOT. THE WATER MAY BE TOO DEEP TO CROSS SAFELY. TURN AROUND...
DON/T DROWN.

REPORT FLOODING TO POLICE OR CIVIL DEFENSE OFFICIALS FOR RELAY TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

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

LAT...LON 1889 15571 1945 15467 1958 15508 1926 15575

$$

KODAMA
2 follow-up statements
000
WGHW70 PHFO 270744
FFSHFO

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
940 PM HST THU JAN 26 2006

HIC001-270845-
ISLAND OF HAWAII IN HAWAII COUNTY-
940 PM HST THU JAN 26 2006

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ISLAND OF HAWAII
IN HAWAII COUNTY UNTIL 1045 PM HST...

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...WOOD 
VALLEY...KAPOHO...PAHOA...GLENWOOD...MOUNTAIN VIEW...AND VOLCANO.

AT 940 PM HST...PERSISTENT MODERATE TO HEAVY SHOWERS WERE STILL 
AFFECTING THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE PUNA DISTRICT...AND MUCH OF 
THE KAU DISTRICT...ON THE BIG ISLAND. RAIN GAUGES INDICATE THAT SOME 
AREAS HAVE RECEIVED AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN IN THE PAST 
SIX HOURS. EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THE RECENT RAINFALL WILL CAUSE 
FLASH FLOODING...AND COULD ALSO TRIGGER ROCK AND MUDSLIDES.

DON/T ATTEMPT TO CROSS FAST FLOWING OR RISING WATER. MANY FLASH 
FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR WHEN MOTORISTS TRY CROSSING FLOODED ROADWAYS. 
ESCAPE RISING WATER BY CLIMBING DIRECTLY TO HIGHER GROUND. STAY AWAY 
FROM STREAMS AND OTHER AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING. 

REPORT FLOODING TO THE POLICE OR CIVIL DEFENSE OFFICIALS...AND ASK 
THEM TO RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

THIS WARNING WILL BE EXTENDED BEYOND 1045 PM IF FLOODING PERSISTS.

LAT...LON 1889 15571 1945 15467 1958 15508 1926 15575

$$
000
WGHW70 PHFO 270842
FFSHFO

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
1042 PM HST THU JAN 26 2006

HIC001-270849-
ISLAND OF HAWAII IN HAWAII COUNTY-
1042 PM HST THU JAN 26 2006

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR THE ISLAND OF HAWAII IN HAWAII 
COUNTY WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AT 1045 PM...

AT 1042 PM...RADAR INDICATED THAT SHOWERS WERE GRADUALLY 
DIMINISHING OVER THE KAU AND PUNA DISTRICTS OF THE BIG ISLAND. NO 
REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT FLOODING WERE RECEIVED FROM BIG ISLAND CIVIL 
DEFENSE OVER THE PAST HOUR.

THE HEAVY RAINS AND FLOODING HAVE SUBSIDED...BUT RUNOFF IS STILL
OCCURRING AND STREAMS WILL REMAIN HIGH FOR SEVERAL HOURS.

LAT...LON 1889 15571 1945 15467 1958 15508 1926 15575

$$

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 Jan 26, 4:00 PM HST, 3 hours 39 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 26, 4:00 PM HST, 3 hours 39 minutes before
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
400 PM HST THU JAN 26 2006

.SYNOPSIS...
SHOWERS ENHANCED BY A MID-LEVEL KONA LOW JUST SOUTH OF THE ISLANDS
WILL KEEP THE ISLANDS WET FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE COLD UPPER LOW
WILL ALSO BRING SOME MORE SNOW TO THE BIG ISLAND SUMMITS...AS IT
CREEPS SLOWLY EASTWARD. EXPECT THIS LOW TO CONTINUE ITS SLOW
EASTWARD MOVEMEMENT...GRADUALLY IMPROVING CONDITIONS OVER THE
WESTERNMOST ISLANDS...BUT MODEL FORECASTS SWEEP A REMNANT OF THIS
UPPER LEVEL FEATURE BACK OVER THE ISLANDS OVER THE WEEKEND...
KEEPING THE BIG ISLAND WET.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
SATELLITE WATER VAPOR IMAGERY CONFIRMS MODEL TREND OF TAKING WET
UPPER AIR KONA SYSTEM CURRENTLY SOUTH OF THE ISLANDS SLOWLY EASTWARD
AND GRADUALLY DRYING OUT ISLAND WEATHER OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF
DAYS. THE LATEST VERSIONS OF THE MODELS BRING A REMNANT OF THE LOW
BACK OVER THE BIG ISLAND OVER THE COMING WEEKEND HOWEVER...KEEPIING
THE BIG ISLAND WET AT LEAST THROUGH SUNDAY. MEANWHILE...HEAVY
SHOWERS CONTINUE IN THE MOIST ENVIRONMENT GENERATED BY THE MID-LEVEL
LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TO OUR SOUTH. INDIVIDUAL SHOWERS ARE TENDING TO
BE FAIRLY FAST MOVING IN THE 20,000 FOOT DEEP MOIST LAYER FLOW FROM
THE SOUTHEAST...BUT TRAINING OF HEAVY SHOWERS OVER THE KAU SECTION
OF THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII DID PROVIDE ENOUGH RAINFALL FOR FLOODING
OF ROADS IN THAT AREA...THUS A FLASH FLOOD WARNING WAS ISSUED.
HEAVY RAIN ELSEWHERE ON THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII ALSO CREATED
NUISANCE FLOODING OF ROADWAYS...PROMPTING THE ISSUANCE OF A FLOOD
ADVISORY ELSEWHERE ON THIS ISLAND. SNOW FALLING ON THE HIGHER
VOLCANO SUMMITS HAS CONTINUED THROUGH THE DAY. THIS IS WET SNOW...
MIXED WITH RAIN AT TIMES...BUT A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN
EFFECT FOR THESE SUMMITS THROUGH TONIGHT.

WHILE ALL ISLANDS HAVE SEEN PERIODIC HEAVY RAINS...THE ISLAND MOST
AFFECTED BY THE HEAVY RAINFALL HAS BEEN THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII.
HERE 24 HOUR RAINFALL TOTALS OF AS MUCH AS 8 INCHES HAVE BEEN NOTED.
COMPUTER MODELS ARE STILL INDICATING A SLOW EASTWARD MOVEMENT OF THE
MID-LEVEL KONA LOW SYSTEM SOUTH OF THE ISLANDS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE
OF DAYA...BUT THEY ARE ALSO BRINGING A REMNANT OF THIS MID-LEVEL
DISTURBANCE BACK OVER THE BIG ISLAND AGAIN OVER THE WEEKEND. THUS
WILL BE TEMPERING THE IMPROVING FORECAST TO ALLOW FOR THIS PVA
RETURN OVER THE BIG ISLAND THIS WEEKEND. OTHERWISE...THE FOREAST
REFLECTS ACCEPTANCE OF A FLOW OF DRYER AIR FROM THE NORTHEAST OVER
THE WEEKEND TO EVENTUALLY FILTER INTO THE ISLAND ATMOSPHERE...
REPLACING THE MOISTURE LADEN AIR PRESENTLY IN PLACE OVER THE
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS WITH BETTER WEATHER FOR THE WEEKEND.

&&

.MARINE...
WHILE THE MEAN WIND FLOW OVER THE ISLANDS CONTINUES TO BE FROM THE
EAST OR EAST-SOUTHEAST AT 20 TO 25 MPH AT THE SURFACE...BLOCKING OF
THE WIND BY THE ISLANDS THEMSELVES IS MAKING FOR LIGHTER WINDS OVER
THE LAND AREAS. WILL KEEP SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES OVER THE WATERS
HOWEVER DUE TO THE LARGER SCALE WIND FIELD AND SOME ADDITIONAL
CHANNELLING THROUGH THE ISLAND CHANNELS.

THESE FAIRLY STRONG WINDS WILL ALSO KEEP SURF ALONG EAST FACING
SHORES NEAR THE 8 FOOT ADVISORY LEVEL THROUGH SATURDAY. A NORTHWEST
SWELL WILL BE ARRIVING ON FRIDAY...RAISING SURF ALONG NORTH AND
WEST FACING SHORES TO ABOVE ADVISORY LEVELS ALSO.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING WAS ISSUED FOR THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII...
FOR HEAVY RAINFALL CAUSING EXCESSIVE RUNOFF...ESPECIALLY IN THE
PAHALA AREA ALONG THE KAU COAST. HOWEVER...HEAVY RAINS CONTINUE
ELSEWHERE AS WELL...SO THE ENTIRE ISLAND IS INCLUDED IN THE
WARNING. AN URBAN SMALL STREAM AND FLOOD ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED
FOR THE ISLAND OF OAHU AND WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR OTHER ISLANDS AS
NEEDED WHERE HEAVY RAINS ARE CAUSING WATER TO POND ON ROAD SURFACES.
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY HAS ALSO BEEN CONTINUED FOR INTERMITTANT
SNOWFALL ON THE SUMMITS OF MAUNA KEA AND MAUNA LOA.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...

HIGH SURF ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM HST FRIDAY FOR EAST NORTH AND WEST
FACING SHORES.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM HST FRIDAY FOR BIG ISLAND
SUMMITS.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM HST FRIDAY FOR MOST COASTAL WATERS.

&&

FARRELL

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 26, 7:26 PM HST, 13 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
726 PM HST THU JAN 26 2006

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

1023 AM     FLASH FLOOD      6 SSW PAHALA            19.12N 155.52W
01/26/2006                   HAWAII IN HAWAII   HI   EMERGENCY MNGR

            HIGHWAY 11 AT HILEA GULCH BRIDGE CLOSED.

&&

KODAMA

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 26, 2:05 PM HSTFlash Flood WarningHFOHawaii3 hr
Jan 26, 4:51 PM HSTFlash Flood WarningHFOHawaii3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Hawaii, 2006Every flash flood warning in 2006

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.