Category Archives: Weather

Flooding

Heavy rains flood a road on the Big Island, Hawaii

Yesterday, a strong storm system moved across Hawaii from the west. On the Big Island, for most of the day, the weather was quite mellow, but the darkening clouds over Maui did not bode well. In the late afternoon, the bad weather finally arrived. The skies darkened and rain lashed down. When I left work, I had headlights on and drove with care. Just north of Kawaihae, the downpour increased in strength and I turned my windshield wipers to full speed.

I’ve never seen so much rain falling here, an area that gets 10 to 15 inches a year. Every little gully on the hillside was flooded with rainwater. About halfway home, I saw brake lights ahead, a blue police light, and a line of cars not moving. I couldn’t see whether this was an accident or something else.

The line of traffic soon started moving again and this was the scene I came to. A river of water flooded over the bank, washing debris into the road, and cascading down the slope towards the ocean. A policeman directed one way traffic and soon I was urging my little car through the torrent, water spraying up on both sides. I was happy to make it to the other side.

Back home, the weather was less extreme, but the system is supposed to hang around through Monday so who knows how this morning’s commute will be. If I don’t post again, you’ll know it did not go well!

Heavy rains flood a road on the Big Island, Hawaii

Cloud over Mauna Loa eruption

A cloud forms over the site of the eruption on Mauna Loa , Hawaii

On my way to work yesterday, I pulled over to photograph this view of Mauna Loa, early on day three of the current eruption. The heat and emissions from volcanic eruptions can create their own weather. Here, smoke and gasses from the most active vent can be seen rising up into a cloud over the northeast slope of the volcano.

Posted for Bushboy’s Last on the Card photo challenge. See more responses here.

Coast path

The coast path passes in front of the Hilton on the Big Island, Hawaii

This is the last day for the November edition of Becky’s Squares with the theme of “Walking” (See more responses here).

I’m finishing off with part of the coast path in South Kohala. Blue skies, blue water, palm trees, and a nice, easy path underfoot. Oh, and a gentle breeze and warm, but not too warm temperature. What’s not to like?

Mauna Loa erupts

Mauna Loa erupts on the Big Island of Hawaii

Yesterday, my morning commute was enlivened by the sight of Mauna Loa erupting. The eruption started late Sunday night and the report I read, before leaving home, said the eruption was currently confined to the summit crater. That clearly wasn’t the case when I took these photos on the way to work. The quality isn’t great because they’re hand-held, but I think they illustrate the scene reasonably well.

In the top two photos, the red smoke is the glow of the lava, but the white/yellow bits are the lava itself. This was a flow moving down the slope of the volcano.

Mauna Loa erupts on the Big Island of Hawaii

By the time I got to work, the sky was lightening but the lava still stood out. In the bottom photo, Mauna Kea is left center, with a stunning sunrise developing behind it. Mauna Loa is on the right and the activity can clearly be seen on the left (northeast) slope of the volcano, some way down from the summit.

Mauna Loa erupts on the Big Island of Hawaii

When I got home, I read that three vents had opened on the northeast rift zone of the volcano, though only one was still active. Flows from Mauna Loa can reach the ocean in a matter of hours, depending on where they’re coming from and going to. This flow is currently heading towards the saddle between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, which is mostly a military training area and undeveloped land. The main current danger is from gasses and Pele’s hair, thin strands of brittle volcanic glass, being carried from the volcano to communities downwind. However, new vents could open farther down the rift, bringing lava closer to human habitation.

Changes in eruptions on Mauna Loa can happen pretty quickly so, as usual, the advice here is be prepared and keep tuned to updates on the situation.

Nothing special

The coastline below Upolu Airport in Hawaii

My usual walk around Upolu Airport is about a three mile loop. A few days ago, I was about halfway around and I hadn’t seen much of anything. No cattle or horses, no butterflies or bugs, few birds, and nothing in the water – no turtles, whales, or monk seals. And I thought, ‘Nothing special today.’

Then I looked out over the blue water under blue skies, waves splashing against the shore, and a light breeze moderating an otherwise hot day, and I thought, ‘Even nothing special isn’t half bad.’

Posted for Becky’s Squares theme of “Walking” (See more responses here).