Posted on: Wednesday, March 21, 2001

'Perfect' weather to continue – clear, cool, sunny

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

Gail Chew of the Hawai'i Visitors and Convention Bureau knew the caller from New York would ask the question. Today she had the perfect answer.

"He was saying it was cloudy and cold outside in New York but it was technically spring," Chew said. "I told him the weather right now in Hawai'i is just perfect."

The National Weather Service is forecasting more cool nights and warm afternoons with clear skies and light winds out of the north, through Friday.

The overnight low on O'ahu fell to 61 degrees at Honolulu Airport. There's a good chance of breaking 60 between now and Friday, said lead forecaster Bob Farrell.

"The winds are getting lighter and the dew point is low, so it could get colder by Friday," Farrell said.

But it's not likely the state record for the coolest March day - 51 degrees in Lihu'e on March 25, 1955 - will be broken, though it did get down to 58 in Lihu'e overnight.

"Everybody's out and they're all smiling," Chew said. Clear, cloudless conditions are "one of the things that makes Hawai'i such a special place for visitors and residents," she said.

The coldest March day recorded in Honolulu was 55 degrees on March 17, 1955, and on March 12 and 13, 1976.

The all-time state low was 48 degrees, recorded on Jan. 20, 1969, at Kahului Airport.