Breezy Winds Become Light For the Weekend

Kanaha Rainbow / Image: Asa Ellison

By Meteorologist Malika Dudley / Email: [email protected]

Alerts

A High Surf Advisory has been issued by the National Weather Service for a building northwest swell. The advisory is in effect from 4:00 p.m. today through 6:00 p.m. Friday for the north facing shores of Maui and Moloka’i. Wave heights of 12 to 16 foot faces are expected.

Expect strong breaking waves, shore break and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming difficult and dangerous.

A Small Craft Advisory is posted through 6 p.m. Friday for the Pailolo and ʻAlenuihāhā channels as well as Maʻalaea Bay. Rough seas up to 15 feet and east winds of 25 to 30 knots are forecasted. Inexperienced mariners should avoid navigating in these conditions.

**Click directly on the images below to make them larger. Charts include: Maui County high/low forecasted temperatures, projected winds, chance of cloud cover, projected localized weather conditions and expected wave heights.**

Today, Thursday, December 18, 2014

Today high temperatures should fall in the range of 79° to 84° and around 71° at 5000 feet. Partly cloudy skies are forecasted with scattered showers in windward and mauka areas. Some leeward areas may experience a few isolated showers blown over to those sides on our breezy winds. Winds are out of the northeast from 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 35 mph.

Sunrise: 6:56 a.m.

Sunset: 5:48 p.m.

UV index at 6 (“high” exposure level)

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy skies are expected tonight in Maui County with scattered overnight showers in windward and mauka spots and isolated showers for lee areas. Winds are expected out of the northeast from 15 to 25 mph. Low temperatures from 66° to 71° degrees are expected with a low of about 50° at 5000 feet.

Moonset: 3:19 p.m.

Moonrise: 4:37 a.m. on Dec 19

Next New Moon: Dec. 21 at 3:36 p.m.

Next Full Moon: Jan. 4 at 6:54 p.m.

The peak nights for the Geminid Meteor Shower have passed but the shower is still active until December 19. Details on timing and viewing tips can be found HERE. 

Looking Ahead

Breezy conditions are expected through the end of the work week. Trade winds will push showers into our usual windward and mauka areas and some of that moisture may pass leeward from time to time. Over the weekend, winds are expected to shift and become light as our “natural air conditioner” – high pressure – moves away from the islands and a cold front approaches. The cold front is expected to move down the island chain from Kauai to the Big Island from Sunday through Tuesday.

Almanac for Kahului Airport

Maximum Temperature for today:

Normal 81°

Record 89° / Set in 1971

Minimum Temperature for today:

Normal 65°

Record 52° / Set in 1983

**Click here for your detailed Maui County surf report.**

Image: NOAA / NWS

Image: NOAA / NWS

Image: NOAA / NWS

Image: NOAA / NWS

Image: NOAA / NWS

Image: NOAA / NWS

Image: NOAA / NWS

Image: UHSOEST

Image: NOAA / NWS