MONSOON!!!

Wet weekend is one way to sum it up. It was quite nuts actually. We noticed on Friday night that there was a system moving in but really underestimated just how much rain would fall. In total, the storm dropped over a foot of rain at our house (Thanks to our super dorky but but totally fun weather station Yooper put up a few weeks ago). We even had real thunder and lighting most of the night both Saturday and Sunday nights. For those who aren't too familiar with Hawaiian weather, while it rains often and fairly plentifully on the the windward side, thunder and lighting NEVER happens. Until last night, I've heard one, very weak clap of thunder in the entire year here so far.

The best was waking up this morning and checking the news online. Here's my favorite story:

Loud thunder, heavy rain, blinding lightning reported

A rainstorm that spread over O'ahu began to intensify about 12:45 a.m.

Motorists on the H-1 Freeway said traffic was reduced to a crawl through Pearl City at about 12:20 a.m. as a result of extremely heavy downpours.

One motorist described the rain as "some of the heaviest I've ever been in."

Another newsroom caller reported "an incredible lightning show" taking place off O'ahu's Windward Coast at about 12:30 a.m.

Police received a call from someone in Central O'ahu about 11:45 p.m. complaining about loud booms, possibly from illegal aerial fireworks.

It was quickly determined the noise was being generated by loud thunder claps. (HonoluluAdvertiser.com)

You know thunderstorms are rare when people actually think that thunder is fireworks. Other stories included boulders crashing into homes in rock fall zones, power outages (very rare here). Kona enjoyed it though. The downspouts make excellent water fountains.