Uncommon Knowledge
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A warning has been issued for a “Kona Low” which has hit Hawaii and several of its islands which are set for a “multi-day heavy rain event.”
The seasonal cyclone developed over the state on Tuesday night, leading to flood advisories being posted for Kauai, Oahu and Maui in particular.
“Excessive rainfall and flash flooding is a concern” in these places, the National Weather Service (NWS) said in its most recent area forecast discussion.
Forecasters went on to describe the “multi-day rain event” as “like a fire hose shooting water.”
A “Kona Low” is a tropical storm that turns the wind around in the opposite direction, bringing moisture-heavy air.
Its showers are expected to increase throughout Wednesday, especially over the western half of the state, with heavy bands of rain developing with embedded thunderstorms. These will start over Oahu and move eastward towards Maui County by the evening.
The NWS said: “Wednesday night into Thursday looks to the time period for the potential for flash flooding is the highest.
“Due to the widespread rain event, large rises should be expected over streams.
“A Flood Watch is in effect for the entire state starting Wednesday, but for the Wednesday and Thursday time frame, the greatest chance for flooding impacts will be over Oahu and Maui County with Big Island seeing the least chance for flooding impacts.”
Flood advisories have been posted for Hawaii island and the islands of Kauai, Oahu and Maui through 4:30 pm. Radar indicated heavy rain over parts of the state with rain rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour. Showers should trend down in the evening. Issued: 2 PM HST pic.twitter.com/SKj51HovEf
— NWSHonolulu (@NWSHonolulu) May 15, 2024
Thursday and Thursday night could see a slight decrease in rain rates, but “a steady stream of moisture with prolonged periods of moderate to locally heavy rain will persist around Oahu and Maui County throughout the day.”
By Friday, the “Kona Low” will have begun shifting westward and drier winds will develop over the eastern part of the state—this will decrease the flooding dangers but showers are still possible.
Places like Kauai, in the west, will likely see “persistent showery weather” by this point, although not as widespread as the east will have seen over the next two days.
Even more water is set to be pulled towards Kauai and Oahu, “possibly even in excess of two inches,” the NWS said. This means “significant flooding impacts over Kauai this weekend.”
People have been warned that there may be property damage in urban or low-lying spots due to runoff, with the possibility of landslides in steep areas.
Honolulu’s Flood Watch says: “You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.
“Remember that it does not have to be raining at your location for flash flooding to occur. If you notice signs of heavy rain or thunderstorms upslope, move quickly away from flood-prone areas.”
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Comet C/2025 A6, better known as Comet Lemmon, was one of the latest icy visitors to swing through our neighborhood of the solar system, leaving astronomers and casual skywatchers equally delighted. For observers in Hawaii, the glow of the Milky Way didn’t dim the streak of light made by this comet passing through.
This image was taken atop the volcanic peak Mauna Kea, on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Comets are notoriously unpredictable, so Comet Lemmon’s surprising visibility has felt like a bit of a cosmic bonus for Hawaiian stargazers. And this was a rare treat, as the comet won’t return to Earth’s skies for another 1,350 years, around the year 3375.
Framing this comet is the glow of our home galaxy, the Milky Way, which is easier to spot at higher elevations like Mauna Kea’s peak, where there is less light pollution. The image gives us a souvenir from a celestial visitor that won’t be back for more than a millennium.
You can learn more about comets and skywatching.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (HawaiiNewsNow) – U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois) reintroduced a piece of legislation on Thursday to strengthen protections for immigrant families and address long-standing problems in the family immigration system.
The Reuniting Families Act aims to reduce visa backlogs, boost efficiency across the immigration process, and ensure a fairer, more humane process for immigrant families.
“Immigrant families currently experience unnecessary obstacles and delays due to our country’s broken immigration system, keeping families separated for potentially long periods of time,” Hirono said. “By reducing family-based immigration backlogs and making common sense updates to how we treat families, the Reuniting Families Act will help take the first step in the right direction to keeping families together as they navigate our immigration system.”
According to the senators behind this bill, nearly four million people with approved visa applications are currently trapped in a massive immigration backlog, with many waiting more than a decade to reunite with their loved ones.
“As Donald Trump’s inhumane mass deportation campaign rips apart families and communities across the country, it’s paramount we address the unnecessary barriers in our immigration system that have created backlogs and kept families apart for years,” Duckworth said. “Our legislation would implement commonsense reforms to help end family-based backlogs, which keep too many with approved green card applications stuck in bureaucratic limbo, and help get more families where they belong—together.”
The Reuniting Families Act would shorten delays by recapturing unused visas, rolling them into future years, expanding who qualifies as a family member to include permanent partners, and increasing both the total number of available family preference visas and per-country limits.
The bill would also put a time limit on visa processing, so no applicant has to wait more than 10 years for a visa if they have an approved application.
Click here to read the full bill.
Copyright 2025 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
HONOLULU (AP) — Henry Rouhliadeff scored 16 points to lead six Hawaii players in double figures and the Rainbow Warriors beat Division-II Hawaii Hilo 98-46 on Wednesday night.
Rouhliadeff made 6 of 9 from the field and finished with nine rebounds and five assists. Dre Bullock scored 12 points for Hawaii (9-2) and Hunter Erickson, Aaron Hunkin-Claytor, Gytis Nemeiksa and Isaac Finlinson added 11 points apiece.
Jamal Entezami led Hawaii Hilo with 11 points and Jessiya Villa scored 10.
Hawaii shot 51% overall and made 13 3-pointers. The Rainbow Warriors, who went into the game averaging 13.4 assists per game, had a season-high 25 assists on 35 made field goals.
The 52-point margin of victory was Hawaii’s largest since a 106-49 win over Redlands on Jan. 28, 1972, and the third largest in program history. The Rainbow Warriors beat BYU Hawaii by 67 (106-49) in the 1962-63 season.
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