Fast-moving cold front to bring wet weather, strong wind impacts to all islands

A rapidly moving cold front will bring strengthening northerly winds and wet weather to all Hawaiian Islands as it passes through each island.

The National Weather Service (NWS) reports that weather impacts through this weekend and into early next week are wind driven.

“The morning big picture satellite imagery shows the cold front is moving into Kauaʻi with cloud and showers from the front merging with the nearly stationary surface trough near Maui,” according to the NWS forecast.

Radar imagery shows light to moderate showers developing statewide, with decreasing rainfall trends developing after the cold front passes through each island, the NWS reports.

According to the NWS: “This cold front will sweep across the state today with strong northerly winds filling in behind the front as it passes through each island. Wind speeds will accelerate to advisory levels over all islands through the day with the strongest wind speeds and highest wind gusts forecast over and down wind of mountains, and along west and east slopes of island terrain.”

A Wind Advisory was issued for all islands to cover these stronger wind impacts lasting through 6 p.m. Sunday. Even stronger wind speeds are forecast over the highest elevation summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa on the Big Island, where a High Wind Warning was issued this morning, and remains in effect until 6 a.m. Saturday.

On the water, there is a High Surf Advisory in effect until 6 p.m. Sunday for the north and east facing shores of most Hawaiian Islands, including northeast and west facing shores of Maui.

A Small Craft Advisory is also in effect until 6 p.m. Tuesday for Kauaʻi Northwest, Windward and Leeward waters, Kauaʻi Channel, Oʻahu Windward Waters, Kaiwi Channel, Maui County Windward waters, Big Island Windward waters, Oʻahu Leeward Waters, Maui County Leeward waters and Big Island Leeward waters. For Māʻalaea Bay, Pailolo Channel, Big Island Southeast Waters and the ʻAlenuihāhā Channel, a Small Craft Advisory is in effect until 6 a.m. Saturday.