Windward Showers, Front on the Way

Maui Rainbow / Image: Asa Ellison

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

Alerts

The Small Craft Advisory is posted for all Maui County channels and Māʻalaea Bay through midnight Friday. Winds of 25 to 30 knots are expected out of the northeast and seas up to 15 feet. 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 November 20, 2014

Today we expect another day of trade wind weather. That means windward and mauka areas can expect scattered morning showers with partly cloudy skies during the day. Leeward spots can expect mostly sunny skies. High temperatures should fall in the range of 83° to 88° with highs from 67 – 70° at 5000 feet. East winds are expected from 15 – 25 mph.

Sunrise: 6:39 a.m.

Sunset: 5:44 p.m.

UV index at 6 (“high” exposure level)

Tonight

Tonight we expect isolated showers for leeward spots. Windward and mauka areas will have partly cloudy skies and scattered showers. East winds from 15 to 20 mph are forecasted. Low temperatures should fall in the range of 70° to 75° with a low of about 52° at 5000 feet.

Moonset: 4:43 p.m.

Moonrise: 5:55 a.m. on Nov. 21

Next New Moon: Nov. 22, 2014 at 2:33 a.m.

Next Full Moon: Dec. 6 at 2:27 a.m.

The peak nights of the Leonid meteor shower have passed but the shower is active through tonight. For details on the show in the sky click here.

Looking Ahead

Trade winds are expected to remain breezy through the week with lighter winds currently forecasted for the weekend. A gradual weakening trend is expected to start Thursday night. An area of deep tropical moisture is east-southeast of the state right now and expected to spread across Hawaii & Maui Counties affecting mainly the windward sides. Friday into the weekend we cannot yet rule out the possibility of an isolated thunderstorm or two. A front is expected to reach the islands early next week, pushing down the island chain to Maui County sometime on Monday. Ahead of the front winds will weaken and a diurnal land / sea breeze weather pattern will set up. That in combination with unstable conditions could spawn heavy showers Sunday afternoon. Will keep an eye on this scenario and bring you the updates.

Almanac for Kahului Airport

Maximum Temperature for today:

Normal 84°

Record 90° / Set in 1957

Minimum Temperature for today:

Normal 68°

Record 57° / Set in 1949

**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

Image: NOAA / NWS

Image: NOAA / NWS