Hawaii dries out as strong winds, high surf continue; snow blankets Mauna Kea
TIM WRIGHT / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
A blanket of snow on Mauna Kea was briefly visible early this morning from Akolea Road in Hilo. Clouds later covered the summit, obscuring the wintry scene.
The heavy rains have subsided, but strong tradewinds continue, a high surf advisory remains in effect and snow sits atop Mauna Kea.
The National Weather Service has kept the high surf advisory in place for east shores from Kauai to Hawaii island due to “strong to near gale-force trade winds.”
Surf of 7 to 10 feet is expected through Wednesday before lowering to 5 to 8 feet that night. The advisory expires 6 a.m. Thursday.
Today is expected to be cloudy and breezy, with scattered showers, highs from 77 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit for Oahu, and east winds up to 30 miles per hour. Tonight’s lows are from 68 to 74 degrees.
There is also snow up at the Big Isle summits due to the combination of moisture and 30-degree temperatures, but not enough to warrant a winter weather advisory.
Forecasters say the upper-level low that brought heavy rain and flooding continues to drift north of othe isles. Breezy to windy trades are expected to remain, then gradually lower Thursday into Friday morning.
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A cold front, however, is moving in, and more rain is expected from Thursday into Saturday.
A small craft advisory is also in effect for Kauai waters, the Kauai and Kaiwi channels, Maalaea Bay, and windward waters of Oahu, Maui County and the Big Island, through 6 a.m. Thursday.
