As the weekend draws near, Hawaii stays under the tutelage of moderate trade winds, a pattern that is expected to whip up into breezier conditions by next week. For those hitting the sand and sea, windsurfers and sailing aficionados can expect consistent winds, while surf along south-facing shores should remain average today before dialing back below average as the week comes to a close. However, those looking for the big waves might have to wait a bit longer—no significant swells on the horizon just yet, according to National Weather Service.
For island residents and visitors alike, it's predominantly sunny skies through Friday, but don't let that fool you, things are changing and with change, a weak disturbance slides in from the east and looks to shake up this calm weather tableau from Friday night into Sunday, changing winds usher increased clouds and a slight uptick in shower activity trailing off as the weekend wends its way toward a new week, signals a shift that could give way to another disturbance by Tuesday and Wednesday that promises a return of moisture and showers says the synopsis from the Honolulu forecast office. As the courses of wet and dry alternate across the archipelago, aviators can take heart in current conditions—VFR is the run of the rule with only moments of MVFR over windward areas interrupting the clarity of their blue skies.
Moving over to the marine outlook, it's a largely moderate outlook for trade winds which, as per the National Weather Service, will "persist into the weekend as a weak high remains north of the state." These trade winds are not just shaping the surf—they're a crucial component for sailors, shaping plans and voyages as "Small Craft Advisory conditions may return to typically windy areas around Maui County and the Big Island during this time" as trades pick up pace. And it's not just sailors looking at the tide—coastal residents are peeking at their tide gauges, measuring a slow but steady rise above the forecasts.
Indeed, water levels are flirting with the 1-foot Mean Higher High water threshold, raising the chances of minor flooding; a Coastal Flood Statement has been put in motion to alert those in the most vulnerable coastal zones while "the likelihood of water levels exceeding the 1 foot threshold is high around Maui and the Big Island Saturday into Monday," a concern reverberating all the way from the desks of weather forecasters to the daily beats and rhythms along the islands' many shorelines. So as we head into another beautiful Hawaiian weekend, it pays to keep an eye on the skies—and the tide—as nature plays out its timeless dance of land, sea, and air, as reported by National Weather Service.
