Skies should clear when president begins his Hawaii vacation

ASSOCIATED PRESS

In this Dec. 14, 2008 file photo, the vacation home where President Barack Obama stayed during his holiday in Hawaii is shown in Kailua, Hawaii. The National Weather Service says the weather should start to dry out tomorrow through Christmas after the president arrives to begin his Hawaii vacation. But a cold front may bring more rain on Sunday and Monday. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia, File)

Santa Claus, President Obama and his family, and football players and fans should only have to deal with the normal  passing tradewind showers on Christmas Eve.

The National Weather Service says skies will clear briefly before a cold front moves in on Sunday.

However, there is a still a chance of heavy showers and flash floods today and tonight because of moist and unstable air over the state and because the soil is already saturated from rain earlier in the week.

A flash flood watch for all Hawaiian islands remains in effect until tonight.

"There's a drying trend," said Norman Lui, a forecaster with the National Weather Service.

The weather should be fine, with only partly cloudy skies, during Air Force One's expected arrival time late tonight or early tomorrow morning, Lui said.

Tradewinds should return briefly on Christmas Eve, Lui said, just in time for the Hawaii Bowl.

"Christmas Eve looks like it might be OK," Lui said. "Christmas Day may also be OK."

Winds will start to turn southerly Saturday, bringing the possibility of vog Saturday and Sunday.

A cold front is headed for the islands from the northwest. That weather system may bring heavier showers Sunday and Monday.