Hurricane Lane churns toward Hawaii – Big Island has already seen more than 31 inches of rain

By Daniel Manzo and Emily Shapiro
24 August 2018(ABC News) – As Hurricane Lane lurches north, the Category 3 storm has already dumped more than 31 inches of rain on Hawaii’s Big Island, bringing catastrophic flooding.The life-threatening flooding could even lead to landslides or mudslides.Rainfall rates in the outer bands of the hurricane may reach 1 to 3 inches per hour, meaning flash flood watches will remain in effect through late Friday. Lane is expected to remain a hurricane for the next 12 to 24 hours but increasing wind shear could weaken the storm more quickly over the next two to three days. The storm is forecast to pull away from Hawaii by late Saturday. [more]

Hurricane Lane churns toward Hawaii, Big Island has already seen over 31 inches of rain

23 August 2018 (Star-Advertiser) – Hurricane Lane continues to move north near 6 mph and has dumped nearly 2 feet of rain on the Big Island.
In the latest update, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center reported Lane moving 165 miles southwest of Kailua-Kona and 345 miles south of Honolulu.
Lane is still forecast to move dangerously close to portions of the Hawaiian Islands late Friday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 120 mph with higher gusts. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles.
At 10:45 p.m., heavy rain was reported along the windward sections of the Big Island, with the heaviest rains focusing upslope of Hilo in the Wailuku River valley.
Evacuations and water rescues are in progress, including in the Reeds Island area of Hilo along the Wailuku River. “Water levels on the Wailuku River and Honolii Stream remain very high, with the level on the Wailuku River having risen about 7 feet between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m.,” weather officials said tonight.
Emergency crews rescued five California tourists from a home they were renting in Hilo after a nearby gulch overflowed and it flooded today. […]
Forecasters say it will move close to or over portions of Hawaii’s main islands later tonight or Friday, bringing dangerous surf of 20 feet.
Extreme flooding continues to occur on the Big Island as the flash flood warning remains in effect.
Locations in the warning include but are not limited to Hilo, Naalehu, Paauilo, Waipio Valley, Orchidlands Estates, Kukuihaele, Hawi, Pepeekeo, Keaau, Honokaa, Ookala and Hawaiian Paradise Park. [more]

Extreme flooding occurring on the Big Island as Hurricane Lane tracks north