Nice weather forecast for holiday weekend

Most of the Big Island should be looking at perfect or near-perfect weather for fireworks, backyard barbecues and beach outings over the New Year’s holiday weekend.

That’s according to the National Weather Service in Honolulu, which is predicting partly sunny to mostly sunny days on Saturday, Sunday and Monday — when many government workers will be celebrating a paid holiday.

“It should be pretty dry and stable, not really a whole lot to deal with,” NWS forecaster Matt Foster said Thursday. “Winds are going to be east-southeasterly, but they’re going to be pretty light.”

In Hilo, the daytime high temperatures are predicted to be around 80 degrees all three days, while the overnight low temperatures are forecast to be in the mid- to upper-60s.

It’s going to be warmer on the Kona side of the island, with the daytime temperatures climbing into the mid-80s and the overnight lows hovering toward 70 degrees.

The setting off of legal fireworks is permitted between 9 p.m. Saturday evening and 1 p.m. Sunday morning.

The forecast in Kona calls for a clear New Year’s Eve night, while the Hilo side has a 30% chance of scattered showers every night until Sunday, according to the weather service’s website. The East Hawaii forecast also rates the possibility of daytime showers over the weekend at 20%.

“On the Hilo side, it’s possible,” said Foster, referring to rain. “If anything, I think it’s going to be pretty isolated. I don’t think it’s going to amount to much.”

The weather service’s extended forecast predicts any precipitation over the period will be in amounts of less than 1/10 of an inch.

Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.