Photo Credit: Tyler Rooke

West Side

Today: Mostly sunny. Isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 82 to 87. North winds up to 10 mph shifting to the southeast in the afternoon. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Tonight: Mostly clear. Isolated showers early in the evening. Isolated showers after midnight. Lows 66 to 73. Southeast winds up to 10 mph in the evening becoming light. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Friday: Sunny with isolated showers. Highs 82 to 87. East winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

South Side

Today: Mostly sunny. Highs around 87. Northwest winds up to 10 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows around 67. North winds up to 10 mph.

Friday: Sunny. Highs around 87. North winds up to 15 mph.

North Shore

Today: Mostly sunny. Isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 79 to 84 near the shore to around 67 near 5000 feet. East winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Isolated showers in the evening, then scattered showers after midnight. Lows 65 to 71 near the shore to around 53 near 5000 feet. Southeast winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Friday: Mostly sunny. Scattered showers in the morning, then isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 79 to 84 near the shore to around 67 near 5000 feet. East winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Central Maui

Today: Mostly sunny. Highs 84 to 89. Northeast winds up to 15 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows 65 to 70. East winds up to 10 mph in the evening becoming light.

Friday: Sunny and breezy. Isolated showers in the morning. Highs 84 to 89. Northeast winds up to 20 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Upcountry

Today: Mostly sunny. Isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs around 62 at the visitor center to around 59 at the summit. East winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Tonight: Mostly clear. Isolated showers in the evening, then scattered showers after midnight. Lows around 49 at the visitor center to around 46 at the summit. East winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Friday: Sunny. Scattered showers in the morning, then isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs around 62 at the visitor center to around 59 at the summit. East winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

East Maui

Today: Mostly sunny. Isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 79 to 84 near the shore to around 67 near 5000 feet. East winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Isolated showers in the evening, then scattered showers after midnight. Lows 65 to 71 near the shore to around 53 near 5000 feet. Southeast winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Friday: Mostly sunny. Scattered showers in the morning, then isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 79 to 84 near the shore to around 67 near 5000 feet. East winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Lanai City

Today: Mostly sunny in the morning, then partly sunny with scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs 73 to 82. Light winds becoming north up to 10 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Tonight: Mostly clear. Scattered showers early in the evening. Lows around 66. East winds up to 10 mph in the evening becoming light. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Friday: Mostly sunny. Scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs 73 to 82. Light winds becoming northeast up to 10 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Kaunakakai

Today: Mostly sunny. Isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 75 to 86. Light winds becoming east up to 10 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Tonight: Mostly clear. Isolated showers early in the evening. Lows 59 to 70. East winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Friday: Sunny with isolated showers. Highs 75 to 86. East winds up to 15 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Detailed Forecast

Synopsis

A trough of low pressure will slowly shift west today through Friday, allowing a gradual return of trade winds from east to west across the state. Rather dry conditions will prevail for most areas, although Kauai should see a few more showers today and tonight. Rather dry trade wind weather will then prevail Friday through the middle of next week, with mainly windward and mauka showers and very little shower activity reaching leeward communities.

Discussion

Currently at the surface, a nearly stationary trough of low pressure is located over Kauai, with a 1019 high to the distant northwest and a 1030 mb high to the distant northeast. Light winds prevail, with land breezes present statewide. Infrared satellite imagery shows mostly cloud conditions over much of Kauai and Oahu, with partly cloudy skies in most other locales. Radar imagery shows a few showers around Kauai and the Big Island, with very little shower activity elsewhere. Main short term focus revolves around rain chances and the returning trade winds.
The trough of low pressure will retrograde slowly westward today through Friday, allowing trade winds to gradually return from east to west across the state. Moderate trade winds should overspread the island chain by Friday night, then hold in place through Tuesday with only minor fluctuations in strength from day to day. The trades should ease again around the middle of next week as a new front approaches from the north.
As for the remaining weather details, lingering moisture around Kauai will likely result in higher coverage of showers today and tonight. Rather dry weather is expected elsewhere, with a few showers developing over interior and leeward areas this afternoon, and moving into windward slopes and coasts tonight. A more typical, yet drier than normal, trade wind pattern will begin to return for Friday, with showers favoring windward and mauka areas. Localized sea breezes will also bring the potential for a few leeward and interior showers during the afternoon once again. Rather dry trade wind weather will then prevail Friday night through the middle of next week, with mainly windward and mauka showers and very little shower activity reaching leeward communities.

Aviation

Light and variable flow will persist through the remainder of the this morning.
A weak front near Kauai will bring scattered showers to Kauai and surrounding waters through the forecast period. Elsewhere across the state, mainly dry conditions are expected. Trade winds return by this afternoon from east to west across the region and could bring a return of isolated showers to windward locations.
No AIRMETS are currently in effect.

Marine

Light southeasterly to variable winds will continue through today. High pressure north of the islands then builds eastward bringing a return to moderate trades by Friday and locally fresh trades for the weekend.
A moderate northwest, medium period swell will build and peak during the morning hours as it goes down the island chain from northwest to southeast. Offshore buoy 51101 swell height peaked near 9 feet last night, transitioned towards the north, and has been on the decline through the night. This will translate to the swell dropping rather quickly Friday and into the weekend.
Surf along south facing shores will maintain small surf through the weekend as a small long period southwest swell will build over south facing shores Friday into the weekend. Surf along east- facing shores will remain small until trades return this weekend, but as this northwesterly swell clocks more north, exposed shorelines on the east sides may see swell energy wrap today into Friday.

HFO Watches/Warnings/Advisories

None.

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Data Courtesy of NOAA.gov