In Maui, so-called kona storms are affecting the areas where wildfires have grown more frequent and intense, creating a feedback loop of environmental consequences.
The disruptions come at an already challenging time for air travel, in part because the DHS shutdown has pressured staffing at some security checkpoints.
Arizona and Nevada are likely to see temperatures in the triple digits, while cities such as San Francisco, L.A. and Denver could experience record highs.
Record winds are just one part of the extreme weather hitting the country this weekend, with some facing blizzard conditions and others preparing for triple-digit heat.
As heat blasts the Southwest, a polar vortex is forecast for the Midwest and East. Snow is expected in the Great Lakes, and an atmospheric river is on tap for Hawaii.
Widespread showers and thunderstorms will continue, with millions under alerts from the Ohio Valley to the Mid-Atlantic and as far south as the Gulf Coast.
