Potentially damaging southwest wind, a risk for severe thunderstorms, flash flooding and heavy snow on the peaks of the Big Island’s volcanoes are all in the forecast.

The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning for Niihau, Kauai, and Oahu, effective from 6 p.m. today to 6 a.m. Friday. Southwest winds of 20 to 30 mph, with localized gusts over 60 mph,

The steadiest lake effect snow winds down Wednesday night, and so does our Yellow Alert. We’ll see some minor lake effect snow continue, especially in northern Monroe and Wayne counties, with another inch or two of snow there.

But by Wednesday afternoon, the seasonal warmth is expected to vanish as a cold front sweeps in, bringing with it whipping winds and the possibility of snow squalls. National Weather Service forecasters warned that temperatures could drop as much as 10 degrees in two hours on Wednesday, with temperatures falling to the 20s before sunset.

Strong wind gusts of 45 to 55 mph may snap tree branches and cause localized power outages from 10 AM until 10 PM.