A flash flood watch has been posted for Hawaii Island through Friday afternoon. In addition to heavy rainfall, up to a foot of snow is forecast to blanket the Mauna Loa and Maunakea summits.
Honolulu-based National Weather Service forecasters said the remnants of an old front lingering across the state in combination with an upper level trough moving overhead, will bring the threat for heavy rainfall and flash flooding. The heaviest rainfall is expected to fall from Oahu eastward to the Big Island, particularly in windward areas. Even though widespread heavy rainfall is not expected on Kauai, many areas have recently received a significant amount of rainfall and the soils remain saturated, forecasters cautioned.
In addition to the flash flood watch is a winter storm warning for Hawaii Island summits that remains in effect until 6 p.m. Friday. Forecasters said 6-12 inches of snow could fall above the 12,000-foot elevation of Mauna Loa and Maunakea.