The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory for most of Maui and Hawaii island, effective until 8 p.m. today.

Northeast winds of 20 to 30 mph, with localized gusts up to 50 mph are expected to blow across most of Maui, as well Kooolawe, Lanai and Molokai today.

The strongest winds will be through Maui’s central valley, as well as through passes and downslopes of mountains.

On Hawaii island, winds will be strongest in higher terrain, including the Kohala districts and near Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and South Point.

“Winds this strong can tear off shingles, knock down tree branches, blow away tents and awnings and make it difficult to steer, especially for drivers of high profile vehicles,” said NWS in the advisory. “Watch out for falling tree branches when walking or driving. Make sure tents and awnings are secure or take them down. Be prepared for power outages.”

Forecasters are expecting a “wet trade wind pattern with isolated thunderstorms and locally heavy rain” to prevail through tonight, especially over windward areas. The breezy to locally windy tradewinds are also expected to continue for the next few days.

A winter weather advisory for Big Isle summits also remains in effect until 6 p.m. Thursday due to freezing rain and snow, and additional ice accumulations of about one-quarter of an inch.

Travelers to the Big Isle summits should be prepared for slippery roads and limited visibility while driving.