MAUI COUNTY WEATHER: Sunshine, Weaker Winds

Pukalani Sunset / Image: Asa Ellison

By Meteorologist Malika Dudley / Email: malika@mauinow.com

Alerts

A Small Craft Advisory is posted for all Maui County waters through 6:00 a.m. Thursday for north winds up to 25 knots with higher gusts. Rough seas up to 14 feet are also forecasted through Thursday morning. Inexperienced mariners should avoid navigating in these conditions.

A High Surf Advisory is posted for the north facing shores of Maui and Molokai through 6:00 p.m. Thursday. Expect strong breaking waves, shore break and strong longshore and rip currents making swimming difficult and dangerous.

**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, January 8, 2015

Today we expect winds to weaken out of the east from 5 to 15 mph. Weaker winds mean a shift in our weather pattern locally. Windward and mauka areas are forecasted to be mostly clear. Leeward spots across Maui County should get lots of morning sunshine. As the land heats up, sea breezes are expected to develop which will lead to afternoon cloud cover and possible isolated showers. High temperatures are expected to fall in the range of 77° to 83°.

Sunrise: 7:04 a.m.

Sunset: 6:01 p.m.

UV index at 7 (“high” exposure level)

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies and isolated showers are expected for windward and mauka areas. Leeward spots may be cloudy to start but are expected to clear as the land breeze takes hold. Low temperatures from 62° to 68° degrees. Winds out of the east from 5 to 15 mph.

Moonrise: 9:21 p.m.

Moonset: 10:01 a.m. on Jan. 9

Next New Moon: Jan. 20 at 3:14 a.m.

Next Full Moon: 1:09 p.m. on Feb. 3

Looking Ahead

Winds are expected to weaken on Thursday. Light southeast flow will then prevail into the weekend resulting in land and sea breezes over the islands and periods of vog and haze. A very gradual increase in moisture is expected towards the end of the week. The weekend will bring light east to southeast flow which will result in local land and sea breezes, and a few more showers. Temperatures will also gradually warm through the rest of the week.

Almanac for Kahului Airport

Maximum Temperature for today:

Normal 81°

Record 87° / Set in 1952

Minimum Temperature for today:

Normal 64°

Record 52° / Set in 1971

**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: NOAA / NWS