Tradewinds and surf to increase later this week as August record temperatures continue
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / July 1
High surf is expected this week on southern shores of all islands. Here, a body surfer enjoys Point Panic off Honolulu during a early July swell.
Light to moderate trade winds are expected to strengthen during the middle of the work week, while a high surf advisory will be in effect starting Tuesday, forecasters said today.
The National Weather Service in Honolulu said a ridge of high pressure north of the state will keep trades blowing across the state. A slight increase in trade wind speeds is expected tonight through Tuesday night as a weak trough of low pressure slides south of the islands.
Today should be mostly sunny, with highs from 87 to 92 degrees Fahrenheit, and northeast winds around 15 mph.
The heat index, what it feels like when temperature and humidity are factored in, is expected to reach as high as 94 in Kapolei and Lihue, 95 in Honolulu, and 96 in Kahului.
Surf is expected to build along southern shores late today, as one of the largest south swells of the season begins to build across Hawaiian waters. A high surf advisory is in effect for all south-facing shores from midnight to 6 a.m. Thursday.
On Oahu, south shore surf is expected to rise to 4 to 6 feet by this evening, then to 8 to 12 feet late tonight and 10 to 14 feet Tuesday.
Surf heights will likely reach warning levels along south-facing shores Tuesday through Thursday.
Hawaii temperatures continued hitting record levels on Sunday, including a high of 88 degrees in Hilo, breaking the record of 87 set in 1974, and a high of 89 in Lihue which tied the record set in 2017.
Since the start of August, temperatures have either tied or surpassed record highs nearly every day in the Hawaiian islands, continuing a trend that began in May.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that July 2019 was one of unprecedented heat worldwide, with temperatures soaring to new heights.
The average global temperature in July was 1.71 degrees above the 20th-century average of 60.4 degrees, NOAA scientists said, making it the hottest July in 140 years. In addition, NOAA said nine of the 10 hottest Julys have occurred since 2005, with the last five years ranking as the five hottest.
