Wind Advisory 5, NWS Honolulu, HI

701 
WWHW70 PHFO 171339
NPWHFO

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
339 AM HST TUE JAN 17 2017

...WIND ADVISORY FOR THE BIG ISLAND SUMMITS...

.AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING NORTH OF THE
ISLANDS WILL KEEP WINDS ELEVATED ACROSS THE BIG ISLAND SUMMITS
THROUGH AT LEAST THIS EVENING.

HIZ028-180400-
/O.CAN.PHFO.HW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-170118T0400Z/
/O.NEW.PHFO.WI.Y.0006.170117T1339Z-170118T0400Z/
BIG ISLAND SUMMITS-
INCLUDING THE CITY OF...MAUNA LOA AND MAUNA KEA ABOVE 8000 FEET
339 AM HST TUE JAN 17 2017

...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS EVENING...
...HIGH WIND WARNING IS CANCELLED...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED A WIND
ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM HST THIS EVENING. THE
HIGH WIND WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED. 

* TIMING...THROUGH 6 PM THIS EVENING.

* WINDS...EAST WINDS 45 TO 55 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH.

* IMPACTS...STRONG WINDS WILL MAKE DRIVING HAZARDOUS...ESPECIALLY
  IN HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WIND ADVISORY FOR THE SUMMITS MEANS THAT SUSTAINED WINDS OF AT
LEAST 45 MPH...OR GUSTS OF AT LEAST 55 MPH...ARE EXPECTED.
MOTORISTS SHOULD USE EXTRA CAUTION.

&&

$$

HIZ022-171445-
/O.CAN.PHFO.WI.Y.0005.000000T0000Z-170117T1600Z/
HALEAKALA SUMMIT-
INCLUDING THE CITY OF...HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK ABOVE 6000 FEET
339 AM HST TUE JAN 17 2017

...WIND ADVISORY IS CANCELLED...

WINDS HAVE DROPPED BELOW ADVISORY LEVELS AT THE HALEAKALA SUMMIT,
THEREFORE THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS CANCELLED
THE WIND ADVISORY.

$$

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Honolulu HI
352 PM HST Mon Jan 16 2017

.SYNOPSIS...
Trade winds will build slowly from east to west across the state
through Tuesday as a ridge of high pressure pushes north away
from the islands. Limited showers will favor the windward and
mountain areas through the week. A change in weather is expected
this weekend as a weak front ushers in strong trade winds and
increasing showers.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Clear skies prevail across much of the state this afternoon
except over Kauai where daytime heating and sea breezes have
brought overcast skies. Moderate trade winds are blowing over the
Big Island and Maui county, while variable winds remain over Oahu
and Kauai. A ridge of high pressure sits just north of Kauai and
it stretches into the East Pacific. The ridge is expected to push
north slowly over the next few days, and that movement will allow
gentle trade winds to reach Oahu and Kauai Tuesday and Wednesday.
Things will be more breezy over Maui County and the Big Island
with the exiting ridge allowing for increasing winds. The
returning trades will also reinstate our normal windward and mauka
showers Tuesday and through the week, though only limited rainfall
is expected.

A front will approach the islands from the northwest late in the
week, and it is expected to reach the smaller islands over the
weekend. There will be an uptick in rainfall with the passing of
the front but the most noticeable change will be increasing trade
winds behind the front. A healthy high pressure will drive strong trade
winds across the state Saturday and Sunday with the winds pushing
clouds and showers into windward areas and up the mountain slopes.
Some showers will blow over to leeward locations as well.

Winds at the Big Island summits have increased today, prompting
the issuance of a wind warning. A building ridge in the mid
atmosphere located north of the islands is responsible for the
increasing winds at the summits. The warning has been issued
through Tuesday, but may need to be extended as the midlevel ridge
remains in place through midweek.

&&

.AVIATION...
Light ESE flow will gradually turn ENE by Tuesday afternoon. Light
sea breezes along leeward coasts will give way to weak offshore
land breezes after sunset. Ragged clouds and isolated showers
will favor windward slopes and coasts. Partial clearing expected
along leeward coasts late this evening. Isolated MVFR CIGS
possible in passing -shra. Otherwise, VFR conditions will prevail
all areas.

Increasingly strong summit winds on the Big Island could necessitate
an AIRMET for strong surface winds later this evening.

&&

.MARINE...
A surface ridge currently located about 150 nm N of Kauai will
drift northward during the next couple of days. Under very stable
conditions, E to ESE trade winds are being accelerated around the
high terrain around the Big Island, where a Small Craft Advisory
(SCA) is in effect near South Point and in the Alenuihaha Channel.
Gentle to moderate ESE winds will continue across the western half
of the state today, followed by increasing E winds on Tuesday. As
the ridge retreats northward on Wednesday, E trade winds will
briefly build over the island chain, which will likely require an
expansion of the SCA. On Thursday and Friday, winds will decrease
as the ridge is weakened by an approaching front. The front is
expected to produce strong NE winds and large, rough, short-period
seas during the weekend, leading to SCA conditions over all
waters.

Moderate WNW swell will continue for the next couple of days. The
next large WNW swell will build late Tuesday night, peak late
Wednesday, then drop to moderate levels by Thursday night. This
swell is expected to be similar to the last large WNW swell from
a couple of days ago. As a result, expect warning level surf on
Wednesday and Wednesday night for most N and W facing shores of
the smaller islands. The Kona coast of the Big Island will also
experience surf near or at the warning level late Wednesday night
and early Thursday. A front expected to move down the island
chain during the weekend will likely produce large, rough, short-
period seas from the NE, and a High Surf Advisory will likely be
needed for E facing shores.

&&

.HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
High Wind Warning until 6 PM HST Tuesday for Big Island Summits.

Small Craft Advisory until 6 PM HST Tuesday for Alenuihaha
Channel-Big Island Leeward Waters-Big Island Southeast Waters.

&&

Morrison...Discussion
Wroe...Marine
Bedal...Aviation