Low-pressure system brings dangerous weather across Hawaii

Active winter weather is strengthening crossed Hawaii arsenic a powerful, acold low-pressure strategy develops done aboriginal Tuesday, bringing dense rain, thunderstorms, and wintertime conditions.

The low-pressure system, known arsenic a Kona low, is presently located northbound of Hawaii and is drifting southbound of the authorities portion an progressive associated rainband continues to grow, causing unsafe upwind crossed the islands.

WHAT IS A KONA LOW?

So far, low-level winds are merging implicit O'ahu and Maui County, and a fewer thunderstorms person formed implicit offshore waters northbound of O'ahu and westbound of the Big Island.

Within the adjacent fewer days, a persistent southeasterly travel volition proceed to propulsion heavy tropical moisture crossed the upland slopes of the Big Island and Maui County, creating a hazard for heavy, prolonged rainfall crossed the area.

The FOX Forecast Center says thunderstorms and locally dense rainfall stay imaginable arsenic the unreality set associated with the Kona debased moves crossed the state.

It is predicted that 1 to 2 inches of rainfall volition interaction areas that are prone to flooding. A Flood Watch volition stay successful effect done Monday afternoon. 

Flash flooding connected Oahu during dense rainfall connected May 13, 2024.

(Hawaii Department of Transportation / FOX Weather)

In summation to dense rain, a Winter Storm Warning is successful effect done aboriginal Tuesday greeting for the summits of the Big Island.

The falling temperatures astatine the summits, combined with the tropical moisture, volition make perfect conditions for accumulating snow and ice. This benignant of precipitation volition origin important icing connected the summits' roadways. 

The FOX Forecast Center predicts up to six inches of snowfall is likely.

In summation to the snowfall and ice, precocious upwind conditions are expected astatine the summits, with upwind gusts of 50–60 mph and occasional gusts up to 75 mph imaginable astatine little elevations.

All these factors combined volition greatly trim visibility, with near-zero visibility imaginable astatine times.

HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER

By midweek, the Kona debased volition weaken arsenic it drifts westbound of the state, but a weak, mild disturbance is expected to determination successful aboriginal successful the week, bringing much precipitation.