Flash flood warning for Kauai canceled as drenching rains let up

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - A flash flood warning for Kauai has been canceled but forecasters warn the threat of heavy rains continue.

The island saw rain rates of up to 3 inches an hour through the evening. Flooding closed Hanalei Bridge and an emergency shelter was opened at Hanalei Elementary School.

Earlier Friday, it was Oahu that was seeing the severe weather.

Many on Oahu woke up to loud cracks of thunder and drenching rain showers as unstable weather continued across parts of the state.

The storm brought down trees, damaged HECO equipment and turned the morning commute into a nightmare, with reports of several fender benders and flooding on thoroughfares.

Alyssa Cayetano said deafening cracks of thunder woke her up about 4 a.m.

“I heard the big boom sound and I woke up with the building shaking,” she said.

Makalii Sanders said it was the bright light ― and not the sound ― that threw her from bed. “It came out of nowhere,” she said. “I felt really scared.”

A flash flood warning that was in effect for Oahu has expired.

But forecasters say parts of Oahu and the rest of the state could see heavy rains through the day and into the weekend. A flash flood watch for Oahu, Kauai and Niihau is in effect through Friday afternoon.

Torrential thundershowers started moving over Oahu about 5 a.m.

Some spots saw rain rates of 2 inches an hour, prompting minor flooding ― and major traffic headaches.

There were also several reports of downed trees and large branches.

The severe weather also triggered several power outages, knocking out traffic lights from Ewa Beach to east Honolulu. As of 11 a.m., HECO said it was still responding to pockets of outages around Oahu.

National Weather Service forecasters say the unstable weather is likely to stick around until late Friday as a mass of moisture moves up from the south.

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