Watch: Waimea Bay Waterfall Erupts in Flash Flood

The clip shows, what appears to be a typical day at the Waimea Waterfall – a gentle trickle, dribbling down the rocks; the venue for countless Instagram posts, commemorating tourists’ trips to the North Shore. But then, literally in the span of a second or two, a colossal wave of chocolate-hued rainwater surges over the falls, like Niagara, then creating a river of rapids towards the ocean.

According to Newsweek:

“The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a Flood Advisory on Sunday warning of minor flooding on roads, in streams, and in poorly drained areas. While the flood warning for Oahu has expired, most Hawaiian islands remain under a flood watch as residents are bracing for potential future downpours as storms remain a threat this week.

“Sunday's advisory followed weeks of weather instability across the Hawaiian Islands. According to the NWS, much of Oahu remained at risk for additional flash flooding overnight, with conditions expected to ease by Monday morning.”

As for Jamie O’Brien, the undisputed authority in all-things Waimea Bay River surfing, according to an Instagram Story from Sunday from Sunday night, it looked like he (along with a crew, including Italo Ferreira) were digging out the river on the beach for a potential session.

With all that water, however, this one could be…sketchy. Like that one time that one time that JOB “almost died” during a raging river surfing session. Stay tuned.