HONOLULU– A powerful storm that will bring heavy rain, gusty winds and potential flash flooding is set to hit the Hawaiian Islands Wednesday evening.
The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch for all Hawaiian islands from Wednesday evening until Friday afternoon as rain rates of 2-3 inches per hour are expected for some areas.
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The rain and flash flooding also brings an increased risk for mudslides and landslides for much of the islands.
Video from MakaiClicks on Sunday shows flash flooding at Waimea Falls, a popular tourist attraction on Oahu.
In the video, a huge swell of muddy water comes from nowhere, crashing down the falls into the pool below. Another clip shows water rushing downhill, beneath a walkway bridge.
On Sunday on Maui, three girls had to be rescued by Maui County firefighters after they became trapped on a rock outcropping in the middle of Iao Stream.
WATCH: 3 GIRLS RESCUED FROM RAGING HAWAII STREAM AFTER GETTING STUCK ON OUTCROPPING
In addition to flash flooding, the storm system will bring strong thunderstorms and damaging winds to parts of the islands.
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Wind gusts of 30-50 mph are possible on the island of Kauai, where the storm system is expected to hit the hardest.
“The winds are going to be powerful with this thing,” said FOX Weather Meteorologist Stephen Morgan.
A High Wind Warning is in effect for the summits on the island of Hawai’i until Friday. Winds between 40-50 mph with gusts peaking at 90 mph are expected, according to the National Weather Service.
Snow and ice are also possible for the high elevation portions of the big island. A Winter Storm Watch is in place for Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa through Friday, with 4–8 inches of snow possible.
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The National Weather Service advises travel near the summits could be very difficult to impossible at times, with blowing snow severely limiting visibility.
After the system passes through the islands on Friday, conditions are expected to quickly improve for the weekend.
The FOX Forecast Center is monitoring the possibility of the system impacting the U.S. West Coast early next week, with heavy rain and strong winds.