Olivia to blast Hawaii with flooding rain, dangerous seas and wind through Wednesday evening
Tropical Storm Olivia will bring the likelihood of flooding and mudslides on O'ahu, Moloka'i and Maui through Wednesday evening.
Olivia made landfall at 9:10 a.m. HST Wednesday near Kahakuloa on the windward coast of the west Maui Mountains, according to the National Weather Service.
If Olivia had maintained its former hurricane status, it could have become the first hurricane to ever hit Hawaii from the east. It also would have been the first time since 2014 that two hurricanes impacted the state in the same year.
Enough rain is forecast to cause flooding, mudslides
Rainfall will be significantly less on the Big Island, when compared to Lane.
However, Maui may receive about the same amount of rain from Olivia as it did from Lane and Moloka'i and O'ahu may exceed the rainfall the islands received during the late-August encounter.
"Rainfall amounts of 8-12 inches are possible, especially over the higher elevations of Maui and the Big Island, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 20 inches possible in the mountains," AccuWeather Meteorologist Steve Travis said.
A general 3-6 inches of rain is forecast on O'ahu with higher amounts up to 12 inches possible on the northeast and northern slopes of the mountains on island.
Rainfall of this magnitude will lead to significant and dangerous flash flooding in the major cities, including Honolulu, as well as over the countryside. Mudslides and other debris flows can also threaten lives and block roads.
Pounding winds and waves are other significant threats
The surf around the islands will be dangerous.
Likewise, seas will be dangerous with especially rough and tricky waters in the channels between the islands into Thursday.
While the greatest impact from the storm will be heavy rain, gusty winds past 50 mph can cause minor damage, especially near the coast and in the higher elevations.
Trees that have a weakened root structure due to Lane's deluge can be knocked over more easily in such winds. Power outages will be possible.
Motorists should be cautious on the roadways as rain and wind increases around the middle of the week, causing some streets to become flooded and/or blocked by trees, power lines and debris flows.
As a positive aspect of Olivia, compared to Lane, Olivia will move along at a swift pace, while Lane lingered for days. Conditions will dramatically improve on the islands from later Thursday into Friday.
Sept. 11 marked the anniversary of Hurricane Iniki's strike on Hawaii in 1992.
Download the free AccuWeather app to keep up with the latest information on tropical activity both in the eastern Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
How much rain will Olivia produce? Play the Forecaster Challenge now!
