By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist
August 4,2015; 10:58PM,EDT
Hawaii will escape the worst, but not all, of Guillermo's impacts as the tropical storm passes north of the islands Wednesday through Thursday.
Guillermo is no longer a hurricane and will continue to weaken as it tracks northwestward, making its closet approach to Hawaii Wednesday through Thursday.
Persistent strong wind shear is responsible for Guillermo's weakening and will force the once-hurricane to become a tropical depression by the end of Thursday.
The combination of the weakening trend and Guillermo's center passing about 150 miles north of the islands will allow Hawaii to escape the worst of Guillermo's damaging winds and flooding rain.
"The main impacts from Guillermo will instead be rough surf and rip currents," stated AccuWeather Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski. The surf will build in an east-to-west fashion as Guillermo approaches and then passes by to the north.
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Such dangers will be greatest on east- and northeast-facing coastal areas, added AccuWeather Tropical Weather Expert Dan Kottlowski.
"Gusty rainbands and squalls can still impact the islands though, especially Wednesday and Thursday," continued Pydynowski. "The heaviest rain is likely to be in the mountainous terrain across Maui and the Big Island."
The heaviest squalls can lead to localized flash flooding and sporadic power outages. Wind gusts will generally be on the order of 25 to 35 mph. Any downpours will also pose risks to motorists by reducing visibility and heightening the risk of vehicles hydroplaning at highway speeds.
"The storm is passing far enough offshore that the islands will not experience sustained tropical storm-force winds (winds in excess of 38 mph)," added Pydynowski.
Surf will decrease and a more typical trade wind pattern will resume by this weekend as Guillermo tracks farther to the northwest away from the islands.
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