WAILUKU - Maui continued to have some "hit and miss" rainy weather Friday as an unstable weather system lingered in the islands, with East Maui getting the heaviest downpours, said Glenn James, senior weather analyst with the Pacific Disaster Center in Kihei.
Nahiku, Hana and Kipahulu received enough heavy rains to necessitate a flood advisory for much of Friday afternoon, he said.
Maui County reported a road closure on Hana Highway in the area of Milepost 30. County officials said signs were posted warning of the situation at Mileposts 16 and 40, and the roadway was washed out at Paihi Stream.
As of 2 p.m. Friday, 24-hour rain gauge totals reported 5.07 inches at Kaupo Gap, 1.56 inches at West Wailuaiki above Keanae and 0.73 inch at Ulupalakua. Rain gauges in leeward areas showed little or no rainfall.
The rain "fell here and there," James said. "It was not widespread rain."
The weather outlook was for drier conditions today and this weekend as the "threat of heavy showers and thunderstorms was easing back quickly," he said.
The National Weather Service's flash flood watch, which had been in effect for several days, was lifted Friday afternoon.
While quite a bit of moisture was expected to remain in Maui County today, the wind direction should shift from coming out of the southeast to cooler trade winds out of the east, James said.
Sunday, Monday and Tuesday should see drier weather, he said, with some wind-driven showers in windward and mauka areas and leeward areas having more sunny skies.
Looking further ahead, James said trade winds could falter by Wednesday, with winds out of the southeast returning then as a cold front approaches the state. The late part of next week could see rain showers, with some locally heavy rain, he said.
