Northerly winds are expected to blow the vog away from Oahu and Kauai today, while an approaching ocean swell brings warning-height surf to north and west shores.
The north to northeast winds are expected to clear the haze that lingered Thursday. The winds follow a weak cold front that was forecast to move across Kauai and Oahu on Thursday night, bringing clouds and showers. Rain was expected to taper tonight and into Saturday.
A high-surf warning is in effect until Saturday evening along north and west shores on Oahu, Kauai, Niihau and Molokai.
On Maui the vog warn-
ing is in place on north-
facing shores.
Surf along affected north-facing shores was expected to top out at 10 to 15 feet Thursday night, then rapidly climb to 30 to 40 feet today, according to the National Weather Service. On Saturday, wave heights are forecast drop to 20 to 25 feet. The high-surf warning is in place until 6 p.m. Saturday.
The swell will bring slightly smaller waves to west-facing shorelines, peaking at 18 to 25 feet today.
In addition to monster waves, rip currents are in the forecast for affected shores. Large breaking waves and strong currents could touch off “challenging” boat-handling conditions in channels and harbor entrances, according to an alert issued by the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management.
The weak cold front was expected to bring showers to Kauai and Oahu on Thursday night and early this morning, respectively. Showers could continue into the weekend as the front stalls today over Oahu and Molokai, forecasters said.
The vog might briefly return Monday, but westerly winds ahead of another weak cold front should blow it away from Oahu on Tuesday. Tradewinds might return Wednesday to keep the vog away through the end of next week.
With the north winds, temperatures are likely to be cool — in the 60s at night — and highs will be in the low 80s through the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday weekend.
