‘Typical’ weather expected for holiday weekend

With the Fourth of July on Sunday, a three-day holiday weekend is in store for many Big Islanders.

And while there is some rain in the forecast, especially in East Hawaii, it appears the weather will allow for the normal holiday activities.

“We’ve got trades coming back, so it’s pretty much the typical trade-wind showers expected. It’s not really anything especially more than usual,” Tina Stall, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Honolulu, said Thursday.

That’s good news for those planning beach outings and backyard barbecues.

In Hilo, daytime high temperatures are expected to be in the lower 80s, with the overnight lows in the mid 60s. The chance of some shower activity is between 30% and 60% during the day on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, with a 70% possibility of nighttime showers each evening.

In Kailua-Kona, daytime high temperatures are forecast to be in the mid 80s, with overnight lows in the lower 70s. Chances of showers are 30% during the three-day weekend.

Should showers occur, the accumulation is expected to be less than a tenth of an inch per day.

Both Hilo and Kona have commercial fireworks displays scheduled for 8 p.m. Sunday.

In Hilo, the Hawaii County Band will play a concert starting at 7 p.m., with live musical accompaniment to the fireworks, which will be set off from a barge moored in Hilo Bay.

The county will close off a portion of Hilo Bayfront Highway between 6-10 p.m, and Lihiwai Street, from Keliipio Lane to the entrance of Isles’ parking lot, will be closed to vehicular traffic from 2 a.m. Sunday through 10 a.m. Monday.

In Kailua-Kona, the pyrotechnics will be set off from the north end of the old runway at Old Kona Airport Park.

The north end of the park — including the old runway, Makaeo Walking Path, skate park, canoe hales, beach pavilions, the shoreline and Pawai Bay — will be closed to all unauthorized access from 8 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Monday. The south end of the will remain open until 9 p.m. Sunday for people to park and view the fireworks display.

Hawaii is in hurricane season until Nov. 30, but there are no expected tropical cyclones or other disturbances in the Eastern and Central Pacific during the holiday weekend, according to the weather service.
Source: Hawaii Tribune Herald