HILO — Rain this week has brought a respite from the record heat Hilo has experienced through much of November.
Bob Burke, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Honolulu, said fairly breezy trade winds do “help keep things a little bit cooler than when we have the lighter wind flow,” but “can’t say there won’t be any more record highs during the rest of the month or into next month.”
“We’re in a bit of a wet trade wind pattern at the current time,” Burke said. “There’s been plenty of moisture moving into the islands from the east, and it’s a little unstable. … Most windward locations received a decent amount of rainfall.”
According to Burke, by 2:45 p.m. Friday afternoon, Waiakea Uka had 1.73 inches of rain in the prior 24 hours and Hilo International Airport received 1.36 inches.
Forecasters, however, are expecting more moisture to move in through this morning, bringing “another bout of more persistent showers” for East Hawaii, he said.
Rain earlier this week brought with it thunder and lightning, but Burke said the air mass is becoming more stable and forecasters aren’t expecting any more thunderstorm activity at this time.
A light dusting of snow capped Maunakea Friday morning.
The temperature Friday afternoon at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope hovered just above freezing at approximately 35 degrees with winds of about 18 mph.
Burke said it’s cold enough in the higher elevations that if moisture was able to get high enough, there could be some “spotty, frozen, precipitation,” but forecasters are not expecting anything significant.
NWS also warned Friday that strengthening trade winds will keep seas at 10 feet or higher across most near-shore waters, and winds will reach gale force in some waters around the Big Island and Maui County.
A gale warning is in effect until 6 p.m. today, meaning wind gusts from about 40-54 mph are imminent or occurring.
Operating vessels in such conditions require experience and proper equipment, the NWS said, and it is highly recommended that mariners without the experience seek safe harbor before the onset of gale conditions.
A small craft advisory also is in effect until 6 p.m. today.
“It looks like the trade winds will slowly back off early next week into the holiday time frame,” Burke said when asked about next week’s Thanksgiving weather outlook.
A front is expected to approach from the northwest, but it might “stall out” west of Kauai and may not affect the Big Island at all, he said.
Trade winds will drop off to more light-to-moderate levels and, as of Friday afternoon, forecasters don’t expect any significant rainfall beyond what might occur early today.
Email Stephanie Salmons at ssalmons@hawaiitribune-herald.com.