Cool, windy weather to persist

Chilly winds are expected in East Hawaii through the end of the week.

Matthew Foster, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service forecast office in Honolulu, said the moist air on the Big Island that led to snowfall and winter weather on the mountain summits Wednesday has largely dissipated. However, an upper-level trough — a mass of air from northern latitudes intruding into southern air currents — will continue through the remainder of the week.

Foster said today will be about as breezy as Wednesday, with gusts as high as 24 mph, although the chance of precipitation is down as drier, cooler air moves in. Winds will begin to taper off starting Friday as the trough moves on.

Temperatures will remain cool, with highs in Hilo reaching the mid-70s, and lows reaching the lower 60s.

The cool weather, Foster said, is unusual, but generally benign.

While the Maunakea and Mauna Loa summits will no longer be under a high wind warning as they were Wednesday — when winds gusted up to 75 mph — they remain under a wind advisory.

The Maunakea Access Road remained closed to the public Wednesday at the 9,200-foot elevation mark.

Another road that was closed Wednesday because of the weather was reopened. The Waipio Valley Access Road, which was blocked by a landslide Wednesday morning, was cleared of debris and reopened to the public by that afternoon.

With drier conditions expected the next few days, Foster said additional landslides or flash floods are not expected.

Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com.