West Side

Today: Sunny. Highs 75 to 83. Light winds.

Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows 62 to 69. Light winds.

Saturday: Mostly sunny. Isolated showers in the afternoon. Haze in the afternoon. Highs 76 to 83. Light winds becoming northwest up to 10 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 20 percent.

South Side

Today: Sunny. Highs around 84. Light winds.

Tonight: Clear. Lows 60 to 65. Light winds.

Saturday: Sunny. Isolated showers in the afternoon. Haze in the afternoon. Highs around 84. Light winds becoming west up to 10 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 20 percent.

North Shore

Today: Mostly sunny. Highs 74 to 82 near the shore to around 66 near 5000 feet. East winds up to 15 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Isolated showers after midnight. Lows 62 to 67 near the shore to around 51 near 5000 feet. Southeast winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Saturday: Mostly sunny with isolated showers in the morning, then partly sunny with scattered showers in the afternoon. Haze in the afternoon. Highs 75 to 82 near the shore to around 66 near 5000 feet. Southeast winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Central Maui

Today: Sunny. Highs 79 to 84. Light winds becoming northeast up to 10 mph in the afternoon.

Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows 59 to 66. East winds up to 10 mph in the evening becoming light.

Saturday: Sunny. Isolated showers in the afternoon. Haze in the afternoon. Highs 79 to 84. Light winds becoming north up to 10 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Upcountry

Today: Sunny and breezy. Highs around 62 at the visitor center to around 57 at the summit. East winds up to 20 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear. Breezy. Lows around 47 at the visitor center to around 45 at the summit. Southeast winds up to 20 mph.

Saturday: Mostly sunny. Breezy. Isolated showers in the afternoon. Haze in the afternoon. Highs around 62 at the visitor center to around 60 at the summit. Southeast winds up to 20 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

East Maui

Today: Mostly sunny. Highs 74 to 82 near the shore to around 66 near 5000 feet. East winds up to 15 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Isolated showers after midnight. Lows 62 to 67 near the shore to around 51 near 5000 feet. Southeast winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Saturday: Mostly sunny with isolated showers in the morning, then partly sunny with scattered showers in the afternoon. Haze in the afternoon. Highs 75 to 82 near the shore to around 66 near 5000 feet. Southeast winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Lanai City

Today: Sunny. Highs 70 to 77. Light winds.

Tonight: Clear. Haze through the night. Lows around 62. Light winds.

Saturday: Sunny in the morning, then partly sunny with scattered showers in the afternoon. Haze through the day. Highs 70 to 77. Light winds becoming northwest up to 10 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Kaunakakai

Today: Sunny. Highs 66 to 82. Light winds.

Tonight: Clear and haze. Lows 56 to 69. Light winds.

Saturday: Sunny in the morning, then partly sunny with isolated showers in the afternoon. Haze through the day. Highs 66 to 83. Light winds. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Detailed Forecast

Synopsis

Stable and dry conditions will continue to suppress rainfall chances through Saturday. Light to moderate east- southeasterly winds are expected over the eastern end of the state with lighter winds further west. Afternoon sea breezes will give way to overnight land breezes through Saturday with hazy conditions statewide. A brief return to typical trade wind flow could provide a modest increase in windward showers late Saturday and Sunday. As a front passes north of the state early next week, showers may increase further.

Discussion

Early this morning, surface high pressure is rooted just northeast of the island chain with a ridge axis aloft directly over the state. Subsidence from this feature is keeping conditions stable and dry, suppressing any shower activity. Inversion heights remain remarkably low, with observed 12z soundings at Lihue and Hilo revealing inversions below 5,000 feet. Background flow is light across the western islands, allowing land breezes to develop and keeping island interiors mostly clear. Meanwhile, light to moderate southeast flow is prevailing from Maui to the Big Island.
The surface high will gradually shift east over the next couple of days as light to moderate winds veer out of the southeast. For the western islands, speeds will be lighter which will result in a developing land and sea breeze pattern. Interior clouds will increase during the afternoons followed by clearing skies and cooler than normal nights as land breezes develop each night. Also of note, the southeasterly wind direction will allow any vog emitted from Kilauea's ongoing eruption to spread northwest across the smaller islands through Saturday creating hazy conditions in these areas.
Models indicate that precipitable water and moisture depth will increase by Saturday evening, particularly over the eastern half of the state. This will increase shower chances across eastern sections of the Big Island and Maui Saturday and Sunday with drier conditions further west. Monday night through early Wednesday, a front passing north of the state will increase moisture (and therefore shower chances) as winds become light and variable. Early indications are that another front moving across the western islands during the second half of the work week could increase shower chances even further as they become more widespread over the islands. However, at this time, there is a great deal of uncertainty among models regarding the amplitude and placement of this front which will ultimately determine rain chances over the islands.

Aviation

A very dry and stable air mass will remain in place, with light E-SE winds bringing little to no rainfall. VFR conditions will prevail, with any CIGS that develop being above 030.

Marine

A large north (350 degrees) swell is on the downward trend today as the High Surf Warning (HSW) has been cancelled but remain well in the High Surf Advisory (HSA) range. Large surf will persist for most north and west facing shores through the weekend as another powerful long period northwest (310 degrees) swell is expected to rise Saturday and hold through Sunday. Therefore, a HSA is in effect for most north and west facing shores through Sunday afternoon which may need to be extended as the swell lingers through Monday. Additional details are contained in the latest Coastal Hazard Message (CFWHFO), Marine Weather Statement (MWSHFO), and Surf Zone Forecast (SRFHFO). Surf for east facing shores will remain small except areas exposed to the north swell which may see some wrap through Saturday.
After this long- lived swell eases, surf heights early next week looks to remain below HSA heights along all shores as moderate- sized northwest swells arrive, with a small south swell possible this weekend.
A Small Craft Advisory is in effect for all zones (except Maalaea bay) through this afternoon, as combined seas remain above 10 feet. Seas should lower below 10 feet by tonight, but will approach 10 feet again over the weekend.
An eastward-moving weak surface high is centered about 400 nm northeast of Oahu. The high will move east through today then remain relatively stationary about 600 nm east northeast of the islands through the weekend. The high will then move far northeast of the state early next week. Light to moderate east to southeast winds will persist through Saturday, but may get a little stronger and back out of the east when the ridge, associated with the high, moves north briefly on Sunday. The ridge is expected to weaken as a front approaches the state during the first half of next week, weakening winds slightly and veering winds back out of the east to southeast.

HFO Watches/Warnings/Advisories

High Surf Advisory until 6 PM HST Sunday for Niihau, Kauai Leeward, Waianae Coast, Oahu North Shore, Maui Windward West, Kauai North, Molokai Windward, Molokai North, Molokai West, Maui Central Valley North, Windward Haleakala.
High Surf Advisory until 6 PM HST this evening for Olomana, Koolau Windward, Big Island East, Big Island North.
Small Craft Advisory until 6 PM HST this evening for all Hawaiian waters except Maalaea Bay,

Maui Now Weather is brought to you by Blue Hawaiian Helicopters.

Check out their Maui Helicopter Tours today!

Data Courtesy of NOAA.gov