Flood in Hawaii, February 8, 2001

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SYNOPTIC DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE - UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
640 AM HST THU FEB 8 2001

SUMMARY...A LOW NORTH OF HONOLULU CONTINUES TO MOVE NORTHWEST. AS A
RESULT...WINDS ACROSS THE ISLANDS WILL BE GENERALLY SOUTHEAST. SOME
SHOWERS...AS WELL AS A FEW ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS....MAY DEVELOP
TODAY...ESPECIALLY OVER THE LARGER ISLANDS.  SOME OF THESE SHOWERS
COULD BE LOCALLY HEAVY AT TIMES.

DISCUSSION...THIS UPDATE REMOVES THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR KAU AND
PUNA ON THE BIG ISLAND. THE HEAVY SHOWERS ARE OFFSHORE AT THE MOMENT
BUT MAY MOVE ONSHORE ANYTIME TODAY. THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE
KAU AND PUNA DISTRICTS HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL 4 PM HST.

THE LOW IS CENTERED ABOUT 425 NM NORTH OF HONOLULU AND
IS MOVING NORTHWEST AT 15 KTS. THE LOW CONTINUES TO WEAKEN AND
SHOULD LIFT TO THE NORTH IN TIME. THE WINDS ARE GENERALLY SOUTHEAST
OVER THE ISLANDS IN RESPONSE TO THE WEAK PRESSURE GRADIENT SOUTH OF
THIS SYSTEM.  MOISTURE STREAMING UP FROM THE SOUTHEAST IS ENHANCING
THE CHANCE FOR RAIN EARLY THIS MORNING...ESPECIALLY OVER THE BIG
ISLAND.

IN ADDITION...AFTERNOON HEATING...ESPECIALLY OVER THE LARGER
ISLANDS... MAY DEVELOP SHOWERS ALONG WITH A FEW THUNDERSTORMS TODAY
AND FRIDAY. SOME OF THESE SHOWERS MAY BE HEAVY AT TIMES. AN UPPER
AIR TROUGH WILL ADD TO THE INSTABILITY OVER THE ISLANDS THRU FRIDAY.
TRADE WINDS WILL START RETURNING TO THE ISLAND BY FRIDAY STARTING
WITH THE BIG ISLAND AND WORKING THEIR WAY NORTH IN TIME.

SURF...THE LOW TO THE NORTH WILL CONTINUE TO SEND A SWELL TO OUR
NORTH AND EAST SHORES. THE SWELL AND SURF WILL SLOWLY DROP OFF
TONIGHT AFTER HIGH TIDE.  A SEPARATE NORTHWEST SWELL WILL CONTINUE
TO BRING SURF OF ADVISORY HEIGHTS ALONG THE NORTH SHOWERS THRU
TOMORROW.

 OLSON.

.PHFO.....WARNINGS.....NONE
.         WATCHES......FLASH FLOOD S. AND E. HAWAII
.         ADVISORIES...HIGHE SURF NORTH AND EAST SHORES