First Alert Weather Days: Fire weather concerns linked with blustery DRIER winds

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS (HawaiiNewsNow) – Get ready for WINDY trade winds and blustery conditions leading to Red Flag Warnings. Windy trade winds will persist into the weekend with bands of showers being carried in on the trade wind flow. Showers will be focused over windward and mauka areas, with some of the showers being carried over to leeward areas. A slot of drier air moving in this afternoon through Friday will bring critical fire weather conditions to leeward portions of the state tomorrow. Additional moisture coming in Saturday will boost shower activity once again.
In the wake of this morning’s band of showers, a dry airmass has begun to push into the area. This airmass will bring dewpoints a few degrees lower than those observed today and will result in tomorrow afternoon’s RH values falling to around 45% or slightly lower. Fuels remain dry and windy trades will continue throughout this time. The Fire Weather Watch for Friday has therefore been upgraded to a Red Flag Warning. Additionally, there is low potential for critical fire weather conditions to continue into early Saturday afternoon. A band of showers advancing toward the island chain will then end fire weather concerns no later than Saturday evening.
The large, long-period northwest swell will slowly trend down and shift from a more north-northwest direction through Friday. A High Surf Advisory remains in effect for north and west facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, and Molokai, as well as north facing shores of Maui through this afternoon. Surf heights will slowly decrease into the low end advisory range by this afternoon, likely falling below advisory thresholds by tonight.
Rough and choppy surf along east facing shores will gradually become more elevated lasting into the weekend as the trade winds continue to strengthen. Surf heights along east facing shores will build to advisory levels today, and then hold into the weekend. A High Surf Advisory for exposed east facing shores was issued this morning due to the increasing wind driven wave heights.
Surf heights along south facing shores remains small through the period.
WISHING YOU BLUE SKIES AND MUCH ALOHA.
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