Remnants of Barbara deliver muggy, windy weather

UPDATE: 6 A.M.

Although windy tradewind weather is forecast to continue today for Hawaii, moisture and rain provided by the remnants of former tropical cyclone Barbara combined with high temperatures promise to give us a hot, muggy Tuesday.

The remnants of former tropical cyclone Barbara were centered about 120 miles south of the Big Island at 3:30 a.m. today and moving west at 15 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

An earlier high surf warning was canceled, but a high surf advisory is in effect for the east shores of the Big Island, Maui, Molokai, Oahu and Kauai through 4 p.m. today. Surf up to 5 to 8 is expected along affected shores.

A small craft advisory is in effect for Alenuihaha Channel and the leeward and southwest waters around the Big Island through 6 a.m. Wednesday. Easterly winds of 20 to 25 knots are forecast with seas of 8 to 11 feet.

“Moisture associated with Barbara are providing for numerous showers to fall over windward sections of the Big Island and east Maui with just a few passing showers elsewhere mainly over windward and mauka areas of the other islands,” the NWS said.

Honolulu is forecast to see a high of 89 degrees today while the heat index — a measure of how hot it really feels when relative humidity is factored in with the actual air temperature — is expected to reach 97 degrees. East-northeast winds of 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph are expected.

7:15 P.M.

A flash flood watch for Hawaii island has expired as the remnants of Barbara, a former hurricane, passed to the south of the state today.

The National Weather Service still has several overnight advisories for the islands because of the passing storm. They include:

>> A high surf warning for eastern shores of the Big Island through early Tuesday morning. Waves from 12 to 20 feet are expected tonight, dropping to 10 to 15 feet early Tuesday morning.

>> A high surf advisory for eastern shores of Maui, Molokai, Oahu and Kauai through 6 a.m. Tuesday. Waves from 6 to 10 feet are expected tonight lowering to 5 to 8 feet Tuesday morning.

>> A small craft advisory until 6 a.m. Tuesday for the waters surrounding the islands with seas of 6 to 11 feet predicted.

Weather service forecasters expect passing showers across the state tonight, especially for windward and mauka areas.

”Breezy to locally windy conditions are expected through tonight due to Barbara’s proximity,” they said tonight. “A more typical trade wind weather pattern is expected Wednesday through Saturday with clouds and passing light showers favoring windward and mauka areas. Stronger trade winds are expected Sunday and Monday as a new high builds in north of the area.”

11:40 A.M.

A high surf warning is now in effect for the east-facing shores of Hawaii island.

“The combination of strong trade winds and large east swell generated by former Tropical Cyclone Barbara will cause dangerous surf along the east-facing shores of the Big Island through tonight,” the National Weather Service said in a bulletin. The warning is in effect through 6 a.m. Tuesday.

Additionally, a high surf advisory is in effect for the east-facing shores of Oahu, Maui, Molokai and Kauai.

Big Island rainfall amounts for the 24 hours ending just before noon today included more than 3 inches for Kawainui Stream, north of Hilo; less than an inch at the Hilo airport; and 2 inches for Honokaa. Kona International Airport saw no rain during that period, according to the weather service.

11:30 A.M.

Hawaii island is experiencing an island-wide traffic light malfunction due to a power surge.

Hawaii County resources have been deployed to remedy the situation, the Hawaii County police department said in an alert.

Motorists are advised to drive with care and, if possible, stay off the roads.

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An increase in clouds, showers and wind speeds is expected throughout the Hawaiian Islands today and tomorrow as a trough associated with the remnants of former tropical cyclone Barbara spins through.

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for the Big Island, in effect through late tonight.

Moisture from the remnants of Barbara are expected over the Big Island today and tonight before diminishing, bringing the threat of flash flooding. Heavy rainfall is expected to start along windward slopes of the Big Isle this morning, then spread leeward, bringing the possibility of thunderstorms after 11 a.m.

In Honolulu, forecasters said showers are likely, mainly after 11 a.m. The heat index — the air temperature and humidity combined — is expected to climb as high as 98 degrees this afternoon. Showers are also likely tonight, with east-northeast winds of 21 to 25 miles per hour and gusts as high as 36 miles per hour.

Forecasters said deeper, tropical moisture will continue to drift in from the east as remnants of Barbara pass south of the islands through Tuesday.

The following advisories have also been issued:

>> A wind advisory for windward Molokai and most of the Big Island is in effect until 8 p.m. this evening. East winds of 25 to 35 miles per hour, with high gusts up to 50 miles per hour are expected. Travel will become difficult on roads, especially for high profile vehicles.

>> A high surf advisory is in effect for all east-facing shores through 6 p.m. Tuesday. Surf is expected to reach 7 to 10 feet today through Tuesday morning along the east-facing shores of Molokai, Oahu and Kauai, and 9 to 14 feet along east-facing shores of the Big Island and Maui. Expect strong breaking waves and strong rip currents, making swimming difficult and dangerous.

>> A gale warning is in effect for Alenuihaha Channel, Big Island leeward waters and Big Island southeast waters, through 6 a.m. Tuesday. East winds of 25 to 35 knots, with gusts up to 45 knots, and seas of 9 to 14 feet are expected. It is highly recommended that mariners without the proper experience seek safe harbor prior to the onset of gale conditions.

Much drier weather is expected to return from Tuesday into Wednesday as the trades slow down, followed by a more typical trade wind “weather regime” with passing windward and mauka showers through Friday, according to weather officials.