Christmas storm packs a punch | News, Sports, Jobs
A large tree outside Bistro Casanova in Kahului was knocked down Christmas night due to high wind and rain, restaurant staff said. Flooding, power outages and downed trees were reported Wednesday as a Christmas storm swept across parts of the state. The Maui News / KEHAULANI CERIZO photos
KAHULUI — A Christmas Day storm delivered strong winds and rain across the state, spurring flooding, sparking power outages for more than 6,000 residents and downing trees on Maui.
The National Weather Service continued to warn of possible coastal flooding and high winds through the weekend for Maui County and other Hawaiian islands.
On Thursday, residents had to deal with the storm’s aftermath.
Kalai Tau’a, Casanova Bistro bar manager, said she was surprised that stormy weather Christmas night knocked down a large tree near the entrance of the Kahului restaurant.
“Did you see how big the stump of that tree is?” she said Thursday. “I guess the bigger the tree, the harder they fall.”
Floodwaters in a parking lot at the corner of Puunene and Kamehameha avenues in Kahului began to recede Thursday after heavy rain and wind pummeled parts of Maui on Christmas Day, prompting a brown water advisory Thursday.
Tau’a said the tree was intact when she left work around 2 p.m. Wednesday. When she arrived to work Thursday morning, it was leveled and splintered.
She said rainwater on Wednesday rose halfway up the rims of some vehicles in the restaurant parking lot.
“The wind was crazy last night,” Tau’a said of the Christmas winds.
Kipahulu resident Lilly Boerner said she experienced high winds and hard rain until about 4 in the morning Thursday.
“I think Kahului got it worse that we did,” she said. “The Big Island saved us.”
The reflection of buildings in Kahului is pictured in floodwater pooling at the corner of Puunene and Kamehameha avenues Thursday.
Jason Miller, Bistro Casanova bartender and Kihei resident, said South Maui was “pounding” with rain and wind all night.
The county closed a portion of Kanaha Beach Park at the Kaa Point parking lot Thursday due to flooding. It will remain closed until the area is cleared for public access, an announcement said.
On Wednesday, about 6,300 customers in parts of Wailuku, Kihei, Kahului, Kula and Haiku temporarily lost power during periods of strong south winds and rain, according to Maui Electric Co. spokeswoman Shayna Decker.
Power to about 2,100 customers on Lower Main Street, Paukukalo, Waiehu Beach Road, Wailuku Industrial Park, Iao Parkside and other nearby streets was intermittently disrupted when trees interfered with power lines along Kahului Beach Road starting around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Decker. The trees were trimmed and power was restored a little more than two hours later.
Then, approximately 3,400 customers in parts of Kihei went offline at 6:40 p.m. when high winds caused power lines to “slap together” in the Kealia Pond area.
“The heavy rains also caused flooding in the area, making access to restore power to the area more challenging,” Decker said.
Power was restored to Kihei about 10 p.m.
About 800 customers in parts of Maui Lani and the Dairy Road area of Kahului went offline around 9:45 p.m., and electricity was back by early Thursday, according to Decker.
National Weather Service rain totals for the 24-hour period that ended at 4 p.m. Thursday showed the most rain at Puu Kukui gauge in the West Maui Mountains, with 2.32 inches. Wailuku saw 2.02 inches of rain, and Molokai had 1.94 inches.
The weather service continued a special advisory cautioning of potential coastal flooding over the next few days along all shores in Maui County and the state due to unusually high water levels.
The heaviest impacts were anticipated Thursday and this morning, especially around the time of peak high tides, which occur between midnight and daybreak.
Beaches that normally remain dry could flood and saltwater may inundate vulnerable low-lying roads, docks, boat ramps and other coastal infrastructure, according to the weather service.
Winds and higher tides will gradually abate today and through the weekend, lessening the risk for flooding.
The heavy rains swept runoff into Maui’s coastal waters, and the state Department of Health on Thursday issued a brown water advisory for the island. The public is encouraged to stay out of brown-colored coastal water as it may be dangerous due to runoff from overflowing cesspools, sewers, manholes, pesticides, animal fecal matter, dead animals, pathogens, chemicals and flood debris.
The state said to follow up with a doctor if any health concerns arise from entering contaminated water.
The county is asking people to send storm photos to pacioos .org/wm and visit tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov for more information about forecast tides and water levels.
Looking ahead, showers will favor windward slopes of all islands as locally breezy trade winds develop statewide today then shift out of the east during the weekend, the weather service said.
Kahului’s forecast today includes isolated showers before noon and generally sunny weather, with a high near 83 degrees. Breezy conditions will bring an east-northeast wind of 14 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Tonight will be mostly clear, with a low around 69 degrees and a northeast wind of 11 to 13 mph.
* Kehaulani Cerizo can be reached at kcerizo@mauinews.com.
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