000
WWHW80 PHFO 260100
SPSHI 

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
300 PM HST WED FEB 25 2004

HIZ001>008-261400-
KAUAI-OAHU-MOLOKAI-LANAI-MAUI-NORTH AND EAST HAWAII-SOUTH HAWAII-
WEST HAWAII-
300 PM HST WED FEB 25 2004

...SIGNIFICANT WINTER STORM TO AFFECT HAWAII...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTERS CONTINUE TO EXPECT A POTENT
STORM TO DEVELOP VERY NEAR THE ISLANDS BEGINNING LATE THURSDAY AND
LINGERING THROUGH THE WEEKEND. ALTHOUGH THE EXACT DETAILS ARE STILL
UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME...IT APPEARS WE WILL SEE SEVERAL ROUNDS OF
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER.

A STRONG COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH THE STATE BEGINNING
FRIDAY MORNING ACROSS KAUAI...MIDDAY THROUGH OAHU BEFORE MAKING ITS
WAY ACROSS MAUI AND TO THE BIG ISLAND BY LATE FRIDAY. A BAND OF
THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO FORM AHEAD OF THIS FRONT. A FEW OF
THESE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE AND PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. HEAVY
RAIN WILL ALSO OCCUR WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS...SO LOCALIZED FLOODING
IS ALSO A THREAT.

IN ADDITION...SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE ON FRIDAY. NORMALLY
WINDWARD LOCATIONS SUCH AS LIHUE...KANEOHE AND KAILUA COULD
EXPERIENCE EVEN STRONGER WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 50 MPH AS THE WIND
IS ACCELERATED OVER AND DOWN THE MOUNTAINS.

ON SATURDAY THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE VERY UNSTABLE. ALTHOUGH THE
MORNING MAY START OUT WITH SUNSHINE...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE
EXPECTED TO DEVELOP DURING THE AFTERNOON. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SOME
OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE AND PRODUCE HAIL.
THUNDERSTORMS MAY AGAIN FORM SUNDAY AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY OVER THE
EASTERN HALF OF THE STATE.

IT WILL BE COLD ENOUGH FOR AT LEAST SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW ON THE
HIGH SUMMITS OF THE BIG ISLAND...MAINLY ABOVE 11000 FEET LATE FRIDAY.
ANY ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE WEEKEND WILL PRODUCE
MORE SNOW ON THE SUMMITS. STRONG WINDS WILL RESULT IN DRIFTING
OF SNOW AND NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AS WELL....MAKING TRAVEL VERY
DIFFICULT.

STAY TUNED TO LATER FORECASTS AND UPDATES ON THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER
SITUATION.

$$

NASH