University of Hawaii releases study on devastating Kauai rainfall in 2018

HONOLULU, Hawaii (KHON2) — A examine out of UH Manoa revealed new insights into 2018’s devastating storm on Kauai.

The storm got here with no warning in any respect and destroyed or broken greater than 500 houses. It additionally precipitated about $180 million price of harm.

In accordance with researchers from the college of ocean and earth science and know-how, this was all introduced on by a supercell thunderstorm that introduced almost 50 inches of rain. The supercell storm broke the U.S. report for rainfall in a 24-hour interval.

Steven Businger, a professor within the UH Manoa Division of Atmospheric Sciences, and his group checked out knowledge from a radar to find out what precipitated this tragic storm.

these knowledge, is that the that there was a number of spin or rotation, I feel rotation is a greater phrase for it within the air coming and hitting the mountains, they usually’re steep… it made it extra lengthy lived and extra resilient. And it helped clarify why it was that a lot water fell over the north aspect of Kauai.

Businger

When requested if a storm of this magnitude may occur once more, Businger stated “it very a lot can occur. And actually, repeat with a really sturdy rain bomb if you would like may simply occur in say Manoa Valley and affect town of Honolulu.”

UH officers stated though supercell thunderstorms are the least frequent kind of thunderstorm in Hawaii, they’ve the best probability of manufacturing extreme climate; that features hail and even tornadoes. Click on right here for extra data on the examine of this supercell storm in Kauai, Hawaii.