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Trade winds return in time to clear skies for marathon

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JAMM AQUINO
SPT - Fireworks greet runners at the start of the 2012 Honolulu Marathon on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2012 in Waikiki. (Jamm Aquino/The Honolulu Star-Advertiser).
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Light east winds are beginning to blow the vog away and clear the skies just before sunset Saturday.

Light winds blew the vog away, just in time for today’s Honolulu Marathon.

National Weather Service forecasters said a high pressure system north of the islands is strengthening, bringing back the cooling trade winds.

A low pressure system had blocked the trade winds from the northeast for the last week. Instead Kona winds from the southeast had blown in vog and hot, humid weather.

“It looks like we’re trending towards fairly typical trade wind weather,”  National Weather Service forecaster Tom Birchard said Saturday.

The Honolulu Marathon started at about 5 a.m. under clear skies and with light trade winds.

“The winds should be strong enough to keep the vog away,” Birchard said. Temperatures were in the low 70s at the start of the race and are expected to rise to the low 80s by late morning.

The trade winds should stick around next week and could strengthen.

Experienced surfers are also in enjoying the weather. A north swell is bringing 10 to 14 foot waves to the north shores of Oahu, Kauai, Maui, Molokai and Niihau.

West shores should see 8- to 12-foot waves on Oahu, Kauai, Hawaii island and Niihau.

The National Weather Service said a high surf advisory is in effect until 6 p.m. tonight. 

The swell should start diminishing today and will cause hazardous conditions and dangerous rip currents, forecasters said.

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