Flash Flood / High Surf watch through Friday

[terracore]

Flood Watch
National Weather Service Honolulu HI
330 PM HST Wed Apr 10 2019

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR MAUI AND THE BIG ISLAND...

HIZ017>027-111430-
/O.NEW.PHFO.FF.A.0004.190411T1000Z-190413T0400Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Maui Windward West-Maui Leeward West-Maui Central Valley-
Windward Haleakala-Leeward Haleakala-Haleakala Summit-Kona-
South Big Island-Big Island North and East-Kohala-
Big Island Interior-
330 PM HST Wed Apr 10 2019

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT HST TONIGHT THROUGH
FRIDAY AFTERNOON...

The National Weather Service in Honolulu has issued a

* Flash Flood Watch for Maui and the Big Island.

* From midnight HST tonight through Friday afternoon.

* An upper level low approaching the islands from the northeast
will bring an unstable airmass to Maui and the Big Island. High
pressure to the northeast will maintain a trade wind surface
flow, focusing the heaviest of rain along windward areas.
However the strong trade winds and the unstable airmass will
allow for showers and thunderstorms to form over additional
areas of Maui and the Big Island. The upper level low is
expected to linger near these areas through the end of the week.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Flash Flood Watch means that conditions are favorable for flash
flooding. Flash flooding is LIFE THREATENING. Do not cross fast
flowing water in your vehicle or on foot.

Monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action if a Flash
Flood Warning is issued. If you experience heavy rain or rising
water, head to higher ground immediately.

&&

$$


High Surf Advisory

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Honolulu HI
315 PM HST Wed Apr 10 2019

...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR EAST FACING SHORES OF KAUAI OAHU MOLOKAI
MAUI AND BIG ISLAND...

.A strong high pressure system far northeast of the state will
produce a large fetch of strong trade winds pointed towards our
area over the next several days. Swell generated from the fetch
will bring hazardous surf to exposed east facing shores into the
weekend.

HIZ002-008-009-012-017-020-024-025-111415-
/O.NEW.PHFO.SU.Y.0027.190411T1600Z-190414T0400Z/
Kauai Windward-Oahu Koolau-Olomana-Molokai Windward-
Maui Windward West-Windward Haleakala-South Big Island-
Big Island North and East-
315 PM HST Wed Apr 10 2019

...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM THURSDAY TO 6 PM HST
SATURDAY...

The National Weather Service in Honolulu has issued a High Surf
Advisory, which is in effect from 6 AM Thursday to 6 PM HST
Saturday.

* SURF...5 to 8 feet along east facing shores of Kauai, Oahu,
Molokai, Maui and Big Island on Thursday, rising to 7 to 10
feet Friday and Saturday.

* TIMING...Building tonight and continuing into the weekend.

* IMPACTS...Moderate...Expect strong breaking waves, shore break,
and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming difficult
and dangerous.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Beachgoers, swimmers, and surfers should heed all advice given by
ocean safety officials and exercise caution.

&&

$$

Foster

ETA: quality

[MarkD]

East swell might = waves in Hilo Bay which might = Bayfront Highway being closed for a day or two.

Nice time for pedestrians to walk out on car-free Bayfront Highway. Watch the surf, enjoy the seashore.

Think about possibilities of getting Hawaii Island's large continent of environmentalists interested in working to further relocate Bayfront Highway inland. And remove fence that blocks pedestrian access from downtown Hilo to sea....

[TomK]

"Think about possibilities of getting Hawaii Island's large continent of environmentalists interested in working to further relocate Bayfront Highway inland. And remove fence that blocks pedestrian access from downtown Hilo to sea...."

What's a continent of environmentalists? I also didn't realize the Bayfront Highway had been further relocated. What fence? Could someone clarify? I'm confused.

[MarkD]

Pardon my typo: contingent...mass... large group of environmentalists. My bad.

I posted extensively on this topic, twice, I recall, so periodically I throw in a plug for it. If you cross the street at Farmers Market to the bus station/Mooheau Bandstand, you'll see the 1/2 mile long fence blocking access to sea.

Want to go by the ocean, recreate on the Bayfront Berm? You're supposed to drive there.

Bayfront Highway used to run all the way past Hilo Bayfront Park where the canoe paddlers operate. About 20 years ago the County did a good thing and closed that section off. That roadway is now a defacto parking lot.

But one original plan called for a larger section to be closed down. This would have been done by curving Bayfront Highway inland as soon as it passes the Mooheau Bandstand when you are driving south. It would connect with Ponahawai St., or thereabouts. That would create a large new coastal park area, with a pedestrian crossing to the ocean by the bandstand.

At present Bayfront Highway operates as a fairly high speed fenced off roadway built on top of a beach directly across from a downtown. How many other coastal towns in America have such a thing? Would tolerate such a thing?

- - - -

For those particularly interested, the text from 2005 County General Plan, p.13-9.

(i) Plan for the eventual closure of the Bayfront Highway and the relocation of the existing Highway 19-Pauahi Street intersection to an area in the vicinity of Pona- hawai Street, in coordination with the State.

http://hidot.hawaii.gov/harbors/files/20...eneral.pdf

A possible project; it has been repeated in the Plan for decades.

[Chas]

I hear you, but I wonder what traffic would be like. It’s pretty heavy now when you park at the bus station and cross to go to the shopping area.

On the other hand, it is REALLY nice in the area they closed down. Was there for the canoe races on Saturday.

There is at least one place where the fence has an “opening” and you can walk up from the area near the bandstand.

[TomK]

Mark - thanks for the clarification, I was a little confused by what you originally wrote but understand what you are saying now and don't know enough to add too much more. I wonder, though, how much of this is driven by the effects of a potential tsunami rather than just large surf?

[MarkD]

"I wonder, though, how much of this is driven by the effects of a potential tsunami rather than just large surf?

Can you please rephrase, Tom; I don't follow the question.

- - - -

Here is a link to author John Clark's writeup on Hilo Bay. Worthwhile to read as a prelude to discussion on Hilo Bay. link

Clark is one of Hawaii's preeminent shoreline experts, having written a series of books titled Beaches of.....(enter Hawaiian island). This writeup is particularly authoritative; it includes excerpts from Hilo Bay, A Chronological History.

When I moved to Hilo around 1980 the bay was discussed in the Tribune-Herald almost weekly. Issues included reducing pollution, shortening the breakwater, realigning Bayfront Highway, and rebuilding the black sand beach fronting downtown (accurately determined to be non-feasible, with one exception I won't get into now.)

Interest in major bay improvement projects has much waned in the past 30 years.

[TomK]

I see no reason to rephrase. I asked if any of this was driven by the effects of a potential tsunami. If the answer is "none" then fine.

PS. I note that the link you provided does mention tsunamis many times.

http://hidot.hawaii.gov/harbors/files/20...eneral.pdf

I've not read the several hundred pages yet to see how significant the threat is according to Hawaii's government plans.

[MarkD]

"if any of this was driven by the effects of a potential tsunami."

"this" is to mean the opposition to realigning Bayfront Highway?

I suppose so. But the far more probable reason is opposition by the state Dept. of Transportation. DOT controls the highway; their primary mandate is moving cars. Recreation is a relatively minor consideration for DOT.

Hilo's business interests also want to funnel trucks and transport through town as fast as possibly. Traffic typically speeds at 40 mph on the stretch between the bandstand and the turnoff at the base of Pauahi St.--barely 1/3 mile.

If a pedestrian opening in the fence were created near the bandstand--an idea repeatedly floated in the 80s--they'd probably have to reduce the speed to 25 mph and create a pedestrian crossing with lights. Much opposition to that.

(About 4 years ago, the county created a nice mini-park at Kaipalaoa Landing, the tiny spit of land on the south side of the Wailuku River. But there is no lateral coastal access from the park to the berm. The highway is narrow here. People walk it on occasion; it is hazardous and non-sanctioned.)

The role of any tsunami? How would people in an expanded Bayfront Park be more at threat than cars driving on the highway now? And any tsunami will likely also strike with force at Hilo Bayfront Beach (canoe area) to Coconut Island. The entire Hilo shoreline is at risk; the evacuation zone extends many hundreds of yards inland from Reeds Bay to the Bayfront bridge.

[TomK]

OK, but I've completely lost interest in this thread.