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NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
Returning tradewinds blew some rain clouds over the islands Monday morning.
It was the hottest it’s ever been in Hilo and Kahului, where the high temperature set or tied records for the date amid high humidity brought to the islands by former Tropical Storm Ela.
But relief from the heat is on its way.
The National Weather Service says tradewinds should strengthen Monday, cooling things off a bit.
East winds 10 to 15 mph are expected to increase to 15 to 30 mph in the late morning and afternoon in Honolulu and south shores of Oahu.
What’s left of Ela is moving west, away from the main Hawaiian islands, allowing tradewinds to return.
Forecasters say it will still be humid and sticky, “but with the tradewinds returning, it will feel more comfortable outside than over the last 48 hours.”
The weather service said the heat in several areas felt like it was near 100 degrees because of the combination of high humidity and temperatures over the weekend. With the tradewinds returning, the heat index will be closer to the low- to mid-90s Monday afternoon.
The tradewinds should strengthen through Wednesday.
The lack of winds and high humidity brought showers Sunday afternoon to leeward and mauka sections of the islands. Expect most showers to shift to windward and mauka areas Monday morning as tradewinds blow remnants of Ela northeast of the islands over the state. Some of the showers may reach leeward areas.
The high temperature of 90 degrees Sunday shattered a 50-year record of 88 degrees for the date at the Hilo Airport. The old record was set in 1965. At the Kahului Airport, the high temperature of 91 degrees tied a record set in 1984.
It’s the 15th time this month that the high temperature has set or tied records.
It will be hot again in Hawaii Monday. High temperatures on Monday are expected to between 85 and 91 degrees.
