Hurricane Lane brings record rain to Hawaii, inundates parts of Big Island

Desdemona Despair

By Mark Thiessen
26 August 2018

(AP) – Hurricane Lane secured its place in the history books before it quickly dissipated into a tropical storm and moved off from Hawaii. The storm caused damage, mostly on the Big Island, where rivers raged near Hilo and nearly 40 people had to be rescued from homes.

There were no deaths from the storm, which had the potential to cause much more destruction.

Here’s a look at the storm and its impact on Hawaii.

The storm named Lane was barreling toward the Hawaiian Islands as a powerful Category 5 hurricane in the middle of the week. But then it slowed down, moving as slow as 2 mph at times.

As it lingered, the storm’s outer bands were already over the Big Island, allowing Lane to drop 45.8 inches (116 centimeters) of rain, according to preliminary figures, National Weather Service meteorologist Brooke Bingaman said.

That puts it in fourth place for the most rain from a storm in the United States since 1950. Hurricane Harvey, which stalled over Houston last year, dropped the most rain in that span with 60.58 inches (154 centimeters), Bingaman said. Hurricane Hiki dropped 52 inches (132 centimeters) in Hawaii in 1950, and Amelia produced a 48-inch (122 centimeter) rainfall in 1978.

Rain was still falling on the Big Island, and the total could still increase. [more]

Lane brought record rain to Hawaii, but lost its wallop

By Bob Henson
25 August 2018

(Weather Underground) – Rainfall amounts were titanic, but damage appears to be limited, after Tropical Storm Lane pulled rainband after rainband across Hawaii from a perch well southwest of the islands. Peak rainfall totals on the eastern Big Island topped 40” at three stations, adding up to amounts that are among the highest ever observed in a tropical cyclone in the 50 U.S. states. Fortunately, wind shear disrupted Lane’s core circulation before the hurricane had a chance to plow directly into any of the islands, and Lane stalled out just far enough to the southwest to keep its central showers and thunderstorms (convection) mostly offshore. […]

Lane’s record-dousing rainfall

The following rainfall totals were recorded by automated gauges from noon HST Wednesday, 22 August 2018, through 4 AM HST Saturday, 25 August 2018. All rainfall totals below for Lane are preliminary, pending final quality control.

Island of Hawaii
Waiakea Uka:  45.80”
Piihonua:  44.68”
Saddle Quarry (USGS):  41.87”
Waiakea Experiment Station : 41.15
Mountain View:  38.76”
Glenwood:  28.61”
Kulani NWR:  26.62”
Keaumo:  22.94”
Pahoa:  22.87”
Kawainui Stream (USGS):  14.83”
Puu Mali:  13.21”

Island of Maui
West Wailuaiki (USGS): 18.16”
Puu Kukui (USGS):  10.55”
Haiku (USGS):  8.15”
Hana Airport:  4.70”

The following CoCoRaHS volunteer observations are valid for the period from 7 am HST Wednesday through 7 am Saturday:

HI-HI-34 HONOKAA 2.7 ESE:  29.28″
HI-HI-50 PAAUILO 2.4 SW:  25.01″
HI-HI-11 PAPAIKOU 1.1 N:  19.70″

Even though it was still raining over parts of Hawaii on Saturday, we already know that Lane will go down in weather annals on at least two counts.

Second highest rainfall total for any tropical cyclone on record affecting Hawaii:
1)  52.00”, Kanalohuluhulu Ranger Station, Hiki, August 1950
2) 45.80”, Waiakea Uka, Piihonua, Lane, August 2018
3)  38.76”, Kapapala Ranch 36, Paul, October 2000

Wettest month (by far) ever recorded in Hilo, Hawaii, between May and October:
1) 41.61”, August 1950 (through Fri. 8/24)
2)  28.59”, July 1982
3)  26.92”, August 1991

[more]

Lane’s Rains Topple Records, Inundate Parts of Big Island