Another cold front on its way to Hawaiian islands
2019 December 30 CTY - Honolulu Star-Advertiser photo by Jamm Aquino/jaquino@staradvertiser.com A surfer takes off on a large wave at Banzai Pipeline on Monday, December 30, 2019 on Oahu’s north shore. The first big swell of the winter surf season brought sizable surf and conditions, with a high surf warning in effect until Wednesday. The city said 14 rescues were performed on the North Shore of Oahu today, with approximately another 1,500 preventative actions taken by lifeguards. Another 16 rescues were made in West Oahu, with around 3,000 preventative actions taken.
UPDATE: 4:15 p.m.
The high surf advisory for Kauai and Niihau has been canceled. The National Weather Service said the advisory for the Big Island’s west shores has been extended.
Waves along west shores of the Big Island will be 7 to 10 feet. The advisory is in effect until 6 a.m. Tuesday.
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A high surf advisory remains in place for Kauai County and Hawaii island through this evening, while a new cold front is due to approach the state late Tuesday.
The National Weather Service expects surf from a large, west-northwest swell to slowly lower today through Tuesday. The advisory, however, remains in place for the north and west facing shores of Kauai County, where surf will reach 12 to 16 feet for the former, and 9 to 12 feet for the latter, through 6 p.m. today.
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Surf could also hold at advisory levels for the west shores of Hawaii island into Tuesday, forecasters said, and the advisory there may need to be extended. A surf advisory for other islands has been canceled.
Today’s forecast includes partly sunny to partly cloudy skies with isolated showers and highs from 80 to 85 degrees. The skies remain partly cloudy tonight, with lows from 67 to 72.
Tradewinds remain light and variable, in a southeasterly pattern at 5 to 15 mph through tonight.
Surf for south and east shores remains low, at 1 to 3 feet for the former, and dropping from 3 to 5 feet today to 2 to 4 feet Tuesday for the latter.
Forecasters say another cold front is on the way from the northwest, and will stall near Kauai late Tuesday into Wednesday, bringing widespread rain, locally heavy showers, and isolated thunderstorms. Rain is expected for the western islands.
Also, the currently light winds will shift back to easterly tradewinds. Moderate to breezy tradewinds are expected to stick around from Wednesday into the weekend, along with higher rainfall for windward and mauka areas.
A record high daily temperature, meanwhile, was set in Kahului Sunday, with a high of 88, which surpassed the previous one of 87 set for that day in 2020.
A small craft advisory also remains in effect for waters from northwest of Kauai to windward of Hawaii island through 6 p.m. today.
