UPDATE: 4 p.m.

The National Weather Service has extended the flash flood warning for Oahu until 6 p.m.

“At 3:51 p.m., radar indicated an area of heavy rain offshore that will move through East Oahu within the next hour,” the updated warning says. “Rain rates with that area are in the 1 to 2 inch per hour range. This additional rainfall could exacerbate existing flooding and result in additional impacts.”

Forecasters said some locations that will experience flash flooding include Honolulu, Waipio, Moanalua, Halawa, Salt Lake, Aiea, Kalihi, Pearl City, Ahuimanu, Iroquois Point, Manoa, Kahaluu, Kaneohe, Waiahole, Waipahu, Waikele, Palolo, Maunawili, Waikane and Ewa Beach.

Flood risks across the islands are expected to persist into the weekend as a flood watch remains in effect statewide through Sunday afternoon, with forecasters warning that multiple rounds of heavy rain tied to a developing Kona low could continue to trigger dangerous conditions.

The National Weather Service said the flood watch covers all islands, with “flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall” possible as the system strengthens west of the state and pulls deep moisture northward.

Forecasters said the heaviest rain is expected to continue through Saturday for most islands, with Hawaii island likely seeing its heaviest impacts on Sunday, raising the potential for significant flooding in streams, roads and low-lying areas, along with possible landslides in steep terrain.

The ongoing flooding emergency on Oahu remains the most immediate concern, with saturated ground and elevated stream levels increasing the risk that additional rainfall could quickly worsen already catastrophic conditions, particularly along the Kaukonahua Stream downstream of the Wahiawa Dam.

At the same time, forecasters are also tracking a separate hazard tied to the same storm system, issuing a winter storm watch for Hawaii island summits above 12,000 feet from Saturday evening through Sunday afternoon.

Weather officials said heavy snow of up to 10 inches and wind gusts as high as 70 mph are possible at the summits, creating potentially impossible travel conditions with blowing snow and near-zero visibility at times.

2:30 p.m.

All islands of Maui County are under flood advisories this afternoon as the Kona-low storm system that has pummeled Oahu today slowly moves east.

In addition, the Maui Emergency Management Agency issued an evacuation advisory this morning for Wahikuli and Leialii areas below Ka Laʻi Ola in Lahaina due to nearby retention basins nearing capacity.

“County of Maui contracted crews are actively working to redirect overflow and actively pumping water from the Lahaina basin to help keep levels safe. Warnings and advisories are NOT mandatory evacuation orders,” MEMA’s advisory said.

Additional areas under evacuation advisories are high-risk neighborhoods in South Maui, along with moderate risk portions of ʻĪao, East Molokai, Lahaina and East Maui.

2:05 p.m.

Flooding concerns continued to expand across the state today as a new flood advisory was issued for Lanai, adding to ongoing warnings and advisories for Oahu and Maui.

The National Weather Service said at 2:03 p.m., a flood advisory is now in effect for the island of Lanai until 5:15 p.m., as heavy rain moves across the area and creates the potential for minor flooding.

Radar at 2:02 p.m. showed bands of heavy rain moving over Lanai with rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour.

Forecasters warned that low-lying roads, poor drainage areas and streams could see minor flooding, with some low-water crossings becoming impassable as runoff increases.

This marks a continued expansion of weather alerts beyond Oahu, where a flash flood warning tied to a possible failure of the Wahiawa Dam remains in effect into Saturday, and a flash flood emergency continues for parts of the North Shore through this afternoon.

Officials said the Lanai advisory could be extended beyond 5:15 p.m. if heavy rain persists, as conditions remain unstable across multiple islands with additional showers moving through.

1:40 p.m.

Flooding threats across the islands intensified as forecasters extended multiple warnings on Oahu tied to a possible dam failure and issued a new flood advisory for Maui.

The National Weather Service said at 1:05 p.m. it has extended the flash flood warning tied to the imminent failure of the Wahiawa Dam along the Kaukonahua Stream until 1:15 p.m. Saturday, signaling a prolonged and dangerous situation downstream.

Emergency officials continue to report the dam failure threat remains imminent, with flooding already occurring along the Kaukonahua Stream and expected to continue affecting areas including Waialua and Haleiwa as water moves through the system.

At the same time, a separate flash flood warning remains in effect for Oahu through 5 p.m. today, with a flash flood emergency continuing for the North Shore as emergency management reports ongoing severe flooding impacts.

Weather officials warned that streams and the Wahiawa reservoir remain elevated and that additional heavy rain later today could worsen conditions and trigger further rises in water levels.

“This is a particularly dangerous situation. Seek higher ground now!” the agency said, noting that significant property damage is ongoing and likely to continue as flooding persists.

The evolving situation is no longer limited to Oahu, with a new flood advisory issued for Maui until 4:30 p.m. today as heavy rain spreads across the island. Radar showed rainfall rates of about 0.5 to 1.5 inches per hour, with minor flooding expected in low-lying areas, roads and drainage systems.

Officials warned that all warnings could be extended as conditions develop, with flooding driven not only by ongoing rainfall but also by runoff and elevated stream levels, even during temporary lulls in precipitation.

1:30 p.m.

The Hawaii National Guard and the Coast Guard are responding to the flooding on the North Shore, while active duty Army troops are on standby to assist if the state sends them a request for help and day-to-day military operations are being scaled back in response to the flooding.

The Hawaii National Guard has sent High Water Vehicle Teams to the North Shore to help people get out of flooded areas. Haleiwa resident Kevan Scott, who is currently staying put, told the Star-Advertiser by phone that he saw “huge military transports patrolling streets, saying, you do not use your own vehicle if you need to go, we will take you out.”

He said troops have been knocking on doors offering evacuation assistance to anyone who wants it.

The Coast Guard said that at about 6:20 a.m. this morning it received a request from the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency for assistance with possible search and rescue operations in the vicinity of Haleiwa.

A Coast Guard spokeperson said that to “confirm the status of any missing or distressed people, the Coast Guard has launched boat, cutter, and aircraft crews to search the area and is working closely with state and county partners to gather additional information and coordinate response efforts.”

The Coast Guard has dispatched the crews the fast response cutter CGC Oliver Berry and medium endurance cutter CGC Harriet Lane to the area and a boat crew from Station Honolulu are on scene responding to the incident.

A Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules airplane from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point is also conducting overflights scanning the area.

A spokesperson from Army Garrison Hawaii said that troops at the base have prepared vehicles capable of navigating heavily flooded areas and are keeping them on standby if the state requests their assistance. Seven Army families living in the flooded area have evacuated and are currently sheltering at the Schofield Barracks.

Army Garrison Hawaii has told personnel that to avoid traveling unnecessarily, advising only “mission critical personnel” to go to work. A Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam spokesperson also said Navy leadership has “limited access to Wahiawa Annex to mission essential personnel only. JBPHH leadership is keeping personnel and residents informed about localized flooding and the effects of the Kona storm system via email and social media.”

UPDATE: 1:05 p.m.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi warned the public not to underestimate the ongoing storm, emphasizing its unpredictability and growing impact. He noted that while there may be brief breaks in rainfall, the threat is far from over.

“The prediction for more rainfall through tomorrow night is real,” he said at a noon news conference. “We are already at high level marks. The ground has been really saturated.”

Blangiardi said officials are monitoring dam conditions closely and feel confident about their stability, but warned that sudden surges of rain remain a major concern.

“It’s hard to predict the amount of rain that comes in these surges and what that could cause,” he said.

About 5,500 people are in evacuation areas on the North Shore, as search and rescue efforts continue, he said.

Blangiardi described the damage so far as “catastrophic,” with roads impassable and potentially dozens to hundreds of homes affected.

Honolulu city spokesperson Ian Scheuring said the situation remains an active emergency, with evacuation orders still in place and rescue operations ongoing.

“As of noon today, the evacuation order for those who live downstream of the Wahiawa dam remains in effect,” he said. “People are not cleared to go back.”

Officials urged residents to call 911 only for life-threatening emergencies. For non-emergency assistance or urgent information, the city’s Emergency Operations Center can be reached at 808-723-8960.

According to the National Weather Service, a temporary lull in heavy rain is affecting the North Shore and Central Oahu, while conditions have shifted east toward areas like Kailua and Waimanalo. However, more heavy rain is expected later today.

All of Oahu is under a flash flood warning this afternoon, while Molokai is under a flood advisory until 2:30 p.m. as the storm system slowly moves east.

Five evacuation centers are open at Wahiawa District Park, Leilehua High School, Mililani District Park, Kahuku High School and Nanakuli High School. At least 54 people were sheltering there as of about noon, although that number is expected to change.

Officials reported multiple road closures along Kamehameha Highway, including in Laie, near Kualoa and in Waimea due to landslides.

Blangiardi also addressed concerns about possible dam failure, saying conditions are currently stable but uncertain.

He said a NWS’ warning refers to the possibility of water overtopping the dam, adding that while there is no immediate threat, the unpredictable nature of the rain surges makes the situation difficult to forecast with certainty.

Scheuring added that evacuation efforts are underway for about 70 people stranded at Our Lady of Keaau on the Waianae Coast, including children and kupuna.

“The city, the state and the National Guard are facilitating that evacuation,” he said, noting that airlifts have been used to bring people to safety.

NWS, meanwhile, has extended the flash flood warning for Oahu until 4 p.m.

“At 12:55 PM HST, radar indicated heavy rain continuing to move over East Oahu,” the warning said. “Rain was generally falling at a rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour. Due to elevated stream levels, lingering rain, and the potential for additional heavy showers moving in, the warning will be extended.”

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include Honolulu, Waipio, Moanalua, Halawa, Salt Lake, Aiea, Kalihi, Pearl City, Ahuimanu, Iroquois Point, Manoa, Kahaluu, Kaneohe, Waiahole, Waipahu, Waikele, Palolo, Maunawili, Waikane and Ewa Beach.

UPDATE: 12:10 p.m.

The water level behind Wahiawa dam has decreased to 83.7 feet as of noon, after a sharp rise that began Thursday night and reached as high as 85.3 feet earlier this morning at around 8:30 a.m., according to U.S. Geological Survey monitoring.

The rising waters earlier, combined with projections for more rain ahead, led the Oahu Department of Emergency Management to issue a dam failure warning and evacuation notice for people downstream in Waialua and Haleiwa at 8:30 a.m. That notice is still in effect with more rain forecast.

The National Weather Service forecasts a prolonged period of heavy rain to possibly continue through Sunday.

12:05 p.m.

The North Shore has experienced the brunt of today’s Kona-low storm, including a house crashing onto the sand at Mokuleia and dozens of residents fleeing flooded homes, according to North Shore Councilmember Matt Weyer.

About 186 North Shore residents and their cats and dogs made their way to Waialua High School where they waited in the dark for a few hours until they were ordered to get aboard a city bus to evacuate to Wailua District Park at about 8 a.m. due to the threat that Wahiawa Dam could fail.

“They started yelling, ‘We gotta go, we gotta go, the dam’s breaking,’” said Tony Espinosa, 63, who woke up to water inside his two-bed, one-bath “plantation shack” in Waialua’s Otake Camp.

Espinosa’s Honda CR-V was flooded and died, but he was rescued by Honolulu Fire Department firefighters who put him and his pups onto a surfboard as the rain pounded and tried to navigate on foot through waist-high flood waters.

He ended up at Waialua High School and then was ordered onto a city bus to get to Waialua District Park, where he regrouped with his two 7-month-old pups, Pepe and Chico.

“I’ve been here 38 years,” Espinosa said. “This is the worst it’s been.”

During last weekend’s storm, Espinosa said police officers banged on his door to tell him to evacuate — but not today.

“There was no evacuation order, whatsoever,” he said. “That was a major failure.”

Others, however, heard tsunami sirens in the early morning while police, fire and Coast Guard members warned people to evacuate immediately.

Several tried to flee in their vehicles, which first floated in fast-moving water before eventually dying.

Blossom “kumu” Sturm, 77, her daughter, Sunshine Sturm, 47, Sunshine’s daughter, Kailani Gore, 5, and their friend, Beth DeLong, 73, were among those evacuees.

Sunshine began packing for a possible evacuation at midnight when she began receiving flash flood alerts and heard the sound of stormwater.

She told her mother, “We may have to evacuate this time.”

They gathered passports, birth certificates, Social Security cards and medications, packed up their Kia Soul to escape but got trapped half-a-mile later by road blocks and floating cars.

“We couldn’t go left or right,” Sunshine said.

They walked back home until 4 a.m. “when we were hearing the big tsunami sirens,” Blossom said. “People were going, ‘Auntie, Auntie, you gotta get out.’”

Back on foot, they were rescued by a neighbor, Noah Pang, who put Blossom in the cab and her daughter and granddaughter in the bed of the dump truck.

On their way to Waialua High School, Pang yelled for anyone on the side of the road to get in, too, and eventually “33 of us were in the back of the dump truck, kids, cats and dogs,” Sunshine said.