Tropical Storm Darby is expected to pass just south of Hawaii island today as it continues to weaken but still bring heavy rain and high surf to the island.
At 5 a.m., Darby was 190 miles southeast of Hilo, and 400 miles southeast of Honolulu, packing maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and moving west at a brisk 22 mph, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu.
“Darby (is) expected to weaken into a post-tropical remnant low tonight before dissipating on Sunday,” forecasters said this morning.
Tropical storm-force winds extend up to 60 miles from Darby center.
The passing tropical storm will bring 2 to 4 inches of rain along portions of windward Big Island, leading to possible minor flooding especially in low-lying and poor drainage areas, forecasters said.
Darby is also generating large swells that will effect east shores of the Big Island, which are under a high surf advisory until 6 a.m. Sunday.
In addition, a separate, “historic” South Pacific swell is bringing massive surf to the south shores of all islands this weekend. The National Weather Service has issued a high surf warning for all south shores until 6 a.m. Monday.
South shore surf is forecast to rise to 18 feet today, and rising to 18 to 24 feet tonight.
“Expect ocean water occasionally sweeping across portions of beaches, very strong breaking waves, and strong longshore and rip currents,” the weather service said. “Large breaking waves and strong currents may impact harbor entrances and channels causing challenging boat handling.”
The weather service has also issued:
>> A wind advisory for the summits of the Big Island and Haleakala on Maui with east to southeast winds increasing to 35 to 45 mph and gusts up to 55 mph. The advisory is in effect until 6 p.m. today.
>> A tropical storm warning for the offshore waters of all islands. Seas will climb to 8 to 12 feet tonight, down to 7 to 10 feet Sunday, and remain 6 to 7 feet until Wednesday.
>> A small craft advisory until 6 p.m. Sunday for Maalaea Bay, Pailolo Channel, Alenuihaha Channel, and Big Island leeward and southeast waters.
Beyond the Big Island today, weather service forecasters say the rest of the island will see” fairly typical trade wind weather … with passing windward showers and the occasional shower reaching leeward areas.”
They expect conditions to improve over the Big Island tonight, with relatively dry tradewinds statewide through Tuesday.
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