High Wind, Surf Advisories in Effect for the Big Island

A high wind advisory has been issued for the Big Island, scheduled to last until 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 17th.

A wind advisory means that there are sustained winds of at least 30 miles per hour, with gusts as high as 50 miles per hour.

According to the National Weather Service, a strong high pressure system north of the Aloha State has been causing the hazardous conditions, which are expected to escalate heading into Monday.

A high surf advisory remains in effect for the Big Island, in addition to a small craft advisory for the Windward, Leeward, and Southeast waters until 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 18th.

The Hawaiian Electric Light Company (HELCO) has warned that the impact of these high winds could cause trees, branches or other objects to interfere with power lines. A reported outage in Ka`u was corrected earlier this afternoon.

The company issued a warning to the public, stating “as a safety reminder the public should not approach or touch any downed power lines or equipment.”

Downed lines should be reported instead to HELCO’s dispatch center at 969-6666.