Island residents awoke to a big chill today.

It was so chilly a daily low temperature record was set for Honolulu: 57 degrees. The previous record low for Jan. 17 was 58 degrees in 1983.

Still, that wasn't close to the Honolulu record low of 53 degrees matched seven times, the last time in 1998, according to Jeff Powell, National Weather Service lead forecaster.

And it was even further from the record low of 48 degrees set at Kahului Airport on Jan. 20, 1969.

Jane Serikaku, principal of 'Iliahi Elementary in Wahiawa Heights, one of the higher elevations on O'ahu, said the home thermometer of one of the teachers was down to 52 degrees.

"It felt like Alaska when I got into the office this morning," Serikaku said with a laugh.

"It's cold, but at least what's nice is it keeps the kids perky and alert and listening to the teachers, compared to when its hot and muggy."

Last night's dry winds and clear skies allowed the heat to escape into the Earth's atmosphere, causing temperatures to drop, Powell explained. The nippy weather should go away by noon tomorrow, but will be replaced by a cold front bringing clouds and rain to Kaua'i and O'ahu.

"It won't be as cold because of the cloud cover trapping the heat, but it will probably be a little soggy," Powell said.

The rest of the state should get light southeasternly winds and light showers for the weekend. Another cold front expected to arrive Monday afternoon or evening should bring more showers for O'ahu.

Powell said weather forecasters are canceling a high-wind advisory this afternoon for Mauna Kea on the Big Island, where gusts the past couple of days reached 100 mph. Sustained winds on the summit are back down to 30 mph.