Muggy weather, Kona winds follow Ana

The windy, cloudy and rainy weather Saturday not only disrupted weekend plans, but it also likely broke up a streak of record high temperatures.

Kauai has set or matched record temperatures for the past four days and on Friday Honolulu’s high of 91 degrees tied a record set at the airport in 1995.

At the Lihue Airport, the high of 87 degrees Friday beat the old record of 86 set in 2006. Lihue also set a new record high of 88 degrees on Thursday, 87 degrees on Wednesday and 87 degrees on Tuesday. Lihue set or tied high temperature records in six of the past eight days, thanks to warmer ocean temperatures and light winds.

Forecasters say Hawaii can expect more hot, muggy weather after Hurricane Ana moves off to the northwest.

The National Weather Service says humid, Kona winds will blow in from the southeast, bringing moist air from the south and afternoon showers in leeward and mauka slopes through the end of the week. The Kona winds also may bring vog from Kilauea to the western islands.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Maui native confirmed to lead island’s UH campus

KAHULUI >> A man who grew up on Maui has been tapped as the new chancellor at the University of Hawaii-Maui College.

The Maui News reports the University of Hawaii Board of Regents named Lui Hokoana on Thursday.

Hokoana will take over Dec. 1, a day after longtime Chancellor Clyde Sakamoto retires. Sakamoto has served in a variety of positions during his 41-year career with the university, college officials said.

Hokoana, who will make just over $152,000 a year, is currently vice chancellor for student affairs at the University of Hawaii-West Oahu.

"We’re ecstatic," said David Tamanaha, vice chancellor for administrative services for the University of Hawaii-Maui College. "Now we get to welcome him back to our ohana."

Tamanaha called Hokoana a "very compassionate person" who cares for everyone, including faculty, staff, students and groundskeepers.

Hokoana wasn’t immediately available for comment after the meeting. As soon as regents confirmed his hiring, Hokoana shook hands with each regent and then rushed to his mother’s house to tell her the news before catching a flight back to Oahu.

Hokoana joined the university system in 1991 as a counselor at what was then known as Maui Community College.

Maui Regent Gene Bal said there was no bias because of Hokoana’s previous ties to Maui, but he called that a strength in this new position.

There were 47 candidates for the position. Hokoana was one of five finalists.

Associated Press