The Maui News

The holiday season continued to deliver the heat with four record temperatures and record ties in Kahului over the past week.

On Sunday, temperatures in Kahului reached 87 degrees, breaking the old record of 86 set on the same day in 1992, according to the National Weather Service.

On Saturday, a record high of 87 degrees tied the old one set in 1958. On Tuesday, Christmas Eve, a record high of 90 degrees matched another one set in 1992. Also, a new record of 88 degrees was reached Dec. 23; it breaks the old mark of 87 in 1981.

Kahului has had the most records or matches in the state this month — totaling nine in December alone as of Sunday. In all, weather service data shows that 60 records were broken and 41 tied at Kahului Airport from April through Sunday.

The National Weather Service also issued a high-surf warning for north- and west-facing shores of Molokai and north-facing shores of Maui from 6 a.m. today through 6 a.m. Wednesday.

A hurricane-force low set up late last week across the northwest Pacific and has sent an extra-large northwest swell towards the islands that will impact north- and west-facing shores today through Tuesday night, then decline through midweek. Waves of 25 to 35 feet were expected along north-facing shores of both islands, while surf of 18 to 24 feet was predicted along west-facing shores of Molokai.

A high-surf warning means that dangerous, battering waves will pound the shoreline, resulting in very dangerous swimming conditions and deadly rip currents.

A small craft advisory is also in effect through 6 a.m. Wednesday for Maui County’s windward waters, where east winds of 25 to 30 knots and seas of 7 to 10 feet today and 12 to 16 feet tonight through Tuesday night were anticipated, the weather service said.

The advisory means that conditions are hazardous to small craft. Inexperienced mariners, especially those in smaller vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions.

Otherwise, Kahului is forecast to be sunny today with a high near 84 degrees. Breezy conditions will bring an east-northeast wind of 18 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.