A falling tree branch killed a toddler yesterday during a family hike on a day when gusting winds raked Windward O'ahu and Wahiawa. More than 8,000 customers lost electricity for brief periods, while firefighters helped homeowners secure damaged roofs.

The child, a girl 14 to 16 months old, was with her parents on the Maunawili Trail when a branch fell shortly before 11 a.m., hitting the father and then the girl, said Honolulu Fire Department spokesman Capt. Kenison Tejada. She sustained head injuries, Tejada said. Firefighters airlifted her to Castle Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.

O'ahu was expected to be under a high-wind advisory until 1 p.m. today. A high-wind advisory means winds will be about 30 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph. The National Weather Service yesterday also issued a high-wind warning for the slopes of Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa and Haleakala. A high-wind warning indicates sustained winds of 45 mph or more. The warning was scheduled to be downgraded to an advisory at 6 a.m. today; the high-wind advisory was expected to remain in effect until 1 p.m.

The winds, caused by a large low-pressure system north of the state, are expected to remain through today, said forecaster Pete Donaldson of the National Weather Service.

The weather service also issued a high-surf warning through 5 p.m. today. Surf with 20- to 25-foot wave faces were projected for north-facing shores, while west shores may get 15- to 20-foot surf, forecasters said.

"The surf is big and stormy, but it's not conducive to surfing," North Shore lifeguard Capt. Bodo Van Der Leeden said yesterday. "There's not many people out in the water, and we're encouraging them to stay out."

At Nu'uanu Pali State Park, visitors were hugging themselves to keep warm as cool air gusted over the Ko'olau Range. Some wore jackets and sweaters, and others made creative use of beach towels.

Isabella Moore, a 15-year-old visitor from New Zealand, was one of those wrapped in a towel. She had just come from Waimanalo Beach with her brother and cousin. It was windy and cloudy, she said. "I didn't expect it to be so cold."

For San Francisco residents Joe and Rana Rakow, the cool weather was not a problem since their luggage had gotten lost and they had only their Mainland-weather clothes.

"We decided to come up here and tour the island since we didn't have our luggage yet," Rana Rakow said. "This is still warmer than we're used to."

At various times yesterday, power went out for about 4,600 customers in Kailua, 1,200 in Kane'ohe and 2,400 in Wahiawa, Hawaiian Electric Co. said.

The strongest winds today will be mostly over the east sides of the Islands, with the southwesterly winds accelerating downslope, the weather service said. Light trade winds will return to the Islands on Thursday for the Christmas weekend, forecasters said.

Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com.