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- Author or Editor: Mya J. Sears x
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Abstract
The northeasterly facing, windward side of the Island of Kaua‘i (part of the State of Hawai‘i, United States) is prone to heavy rainfall events due to its topographical features and geographical location. Persistent northeasterly trade winds, coupled with steep changes in elevation, create an ideal environment for orographic precipitation. In addition, due to Kaua‘i’s 22°N latitude, the island often experiences midlatitude weather features such as kona lows, upper-level lows, and cold fronts that frequently result in high rainfall and river discharge conditions. This work uses data from river gauges in Halele‘a to understand the seasonality and impacts of the main atmospheric disturbances on two rivers in the region. The seasonality study showed that the majority of extreme flooding events occurred during the cool season and were predominantly caused by cold fronts and upper-level troughs. The historical analysis used atmospheric disturbance cases to determine that kona lows were likely to cause high streamflow in both studied Halele‘a rivers, and upper-level lows had an approximately equal probability of causing high streamflow or not. The findings that come from this project can provide context to atmospheric disturbances in Halele‘a and help community members identify and anticipate the types of events that may contribute to flooding.
Significance Statement
The north shore of the Island of Kaua‘i is prone to extreme rainfall and flooding due to interactions between the typical wind patterns and the nearby mountain range. A majority of flooding events occur during the cool season (October–April) because most of the weather events that produce extreme rainfall occur during these months. Here, we examined the top 50 flooding events in two of Kaua‘i’s north shore rivers and found that cold fronts and upper-level low pressure systems are often responsible for flooding. Additionally, any kona low is likely to cause high streamflow. This study increases the understanding of flood causes and likelihood in northern Kaua‘i.
Abstract
The northeasterly facing, windward side of the Island of Kaua‘i (part of the State of Hawai‘i, United States) is prone to heavy rainfall events due to its topographical features and geographical location. Persistent northeasterly trade winds, coupled with steep changes in elevation, create an ideal environment for orographic precipitation. In addition, due to Kaua‘i’s 22°N latitude, the island often experiences midlatitude weather features such as kona lows, upper-level lows, and cold fronts that frequently result in high rainfall and river discharge conditions. This work uses data from river gauges in Halele‘a to understand the seasonality and impacts of the main atmospheric disturbances on two rivers in the region. The seasonality study showed that the majority of extreme flooding events occurred during the cool season and were predominantly caused by cold fronts and upper-level troughs. The historical analysis used atmospheric disturbance cases to determine that kona lows were likely to cause high streamflow in both studied Halele‘a rivers, and upper-level lows had an approximately equal probability of causing high streamflow or not. The findings that come from this project can provide context to atmospheric disturbances in Halele‘a and help community members identify and anticipate the types of events that may contribute to flooding.
Significance Statement
The north shore of the Island of Kaua‘i is prone to extreme rainfall and flooding due to interactions between the typical wind patterns and the nearby mountain range. A majority of flooding events occur during the cool season (October–April) because most of the weather events that produce extreme rainfall occur during these months. Here, we examined the top 50 flooding events in two of Kaua‘i’s north shore rivers and found that cold fronts and upper-level low pressure systems are often responsible for flooding. Additionally, any kona low is likely to cause high streamflow. This study increases the understanding of flood causes and likelihood in northern Kaua‘i.
