For those of you planning to head out in Honolulu this weekend, it might be wise to pack an umbrella and some patience. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), a strong high pressure ridge north of the Hawaiian Islands is pushing trade winds to breezy new heights, leading to a Wind Advisory for the windier areas of Maui and Hawaii Counties. Expect these windy conditions to persist through tonight, so tie down your patio furniture and hold onto your hats.
The wind isn't the only thing to watch out for. Those same trade winds are carrying remnants of an old East Pacific cold front, which means we're in for "periods of showers through the morning hours," as posted on the NWS website. Not only that, but there's an upper level low slowly making its way from east to west across the state this weekend. It's expected to pull up deeper tropical moisture into the islands, cranking up the humidity and shower likelihood. The winds are set to take a downward turn from Sunday onward, so the bluster we're experiencing will lose some of its gusto.
Marine conditions are just as tempestuous with the NWS issuing a Small Craft Advisory effective through Saturday evening for all Hawaiian waters. If you've got a boat, or were thinking about taking a vessel out, consider this your cue to pause those plans. "Fresh to near gale force trade winds" are on tap, creating a tight squeeze on the pressure gradient and making seas rough. Surf's up on the north and west-facing shores, though, riding high enough on this surging energy to trigger a High Surf Advisory. Remember, with these conditions, it's better to admire the waves from a distance unless you're an experienced surfer.
For the landlubbers among us, there's also a fire-related alert to consider. The combination of windy conditions and lowering humidity levels has sparked a Red Flag Warning for the leeward areas of every island. "The highest confidence for critical fire weather conditions will be during the late morning to afternoon hours today," says the NWS. They're expecting humidity to take a slight uptick Saturday, but that doesn't mean the fire threat is extinguished. Precautions should still be taken through Saturday afternoon to avoid any flare-ups.
So, while many may have been looking forward to a sunny island weekend, the weather seems to have its own ideas. Keep an eye to the sky and the other on local weather updates. As the NWS succinctly puts it, "stay tuned."
