Maui Weather: Partly Cloudy with Sea Breezes

Featured image: Chris Archer – full moon La Perouse

By Meteorologist Malika Dudley / Email: [email protected]

Alerts

A High Surf Advisory has been posted by the National Weather Service for north and west-facing shores of Molokaʻi and north shores of Maui through 6 a.m. Monday. Surf is expected from 12 to 18 foot faces for north shores and 8 to 12 foot faces for the west side of Molokaʻi. This advisory is likely to be extended or re-issued today as another large NW swell is expected to build in the afternoon. The advisory will likely have to be upgraded to a warning during the day Monday.

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

A Small Craft Advisory has been issued by the National Weather Service for the ʻAlenuihāhā & Kaiwi channels along with Maui County windward waters through 6 a.m. Monday
for rough seas of 8 to 12 feet. This advisory may need to be extended as another very large NW swell is expected to build late in the day.

**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, Monday December 8, 2014

We expect partly cloudy skies today with isolated afternoon showers. Winds are variable up to 15 mph. In the afternoon we can expect a sea breeze to develop for leeward and interior spots due to daytime heating. High temperatures should fall in the range of 80° to 85° and around 71° at 5000 feet.

Sunrise: 6:51 a.m.

Sunset: 5:45 p.m.

UV index at 6 (“high” exposure level)

Tonight

Mostly clear skies expected tonight for Maui County. Winds are variable up to 15 mph. Low temperatures are expected in the range of 66° to 71° with a low of about 50° at 5000 feet. Without cloud cover to trap the heat, greater radiational cooling is expected to occur making for a crisp night.

Moonrise: 8:08 p.m.

Moonset: 9:25 a.m. on Dec 9

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

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

Looking Ahead

The trade winds are expected to remain light and variable through tomorrow. This will allow for local land and sea breezes to develop during that time. Afternoon interior and leeward showers are possible with the sea breezes, but rainfall accumulations should remain light. Winds are forecasted to increase Wednesday and Thursday as a front moves across the islands. A second stronger front expected next weekend will bring strong and gusty winds in its wake.

Almanac for Kahului Airport

Maximum Temperature for today:

Normal 82°

Record 88° / Set in 1951 and tied in 1980

Minimum Temperature for today:

Normal 66°

Record 49° / Set in 2008

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

Featured image: Chris Archer – full moon La Perouse

Image: NOAA / NWS

Image: NOAA / NWS

Image: NOAA / NWS

Image: NOAA / NWS

Image: NOAA / NWS

Image: NOAA / NWS

Image: NOAA / NWS

Image: NOAA / NWS