The latest weather update from the National Weather Service (NWS) in Honolulu indicates that moderate to locally fresh trade winds will remain consistent throughout the week. According to the NWS forecast, a drier trade wind pattern is expected to emerge today and carry on into the weekend. This shift should bring light to moderate showers, primarily impacting windward slopes.
In terms of precipitation, the past 12 hours have seen rain totals ranging from 0.10 to 0.30 of an inch along the windward coastal areas of Kauai, while other islands' windward regions have experienced 0.01 to 0.30 of an inch. Humidity remains a factor, with dew points lingering in the low to mid-70s, although a drop in these levels to the upper 60s is predicted for most leeward zones by late Wednesday, which may offer some relief from the muggy conditions. NWS notes that "expect humid conditions to linger as dew points remain elevated in the low to mid-70s."
Navigating to sky-related matters, aviation will be influenced by high pressure far north and northeast of Hawaii maintaining breezy trade winds throughout the forecast period. The NWS assures that stable conditions will dominate, with only limited low ceiling occurrences and temporary MVFR conditions over windward areas. Most areas can expect general VFR conditions, barring some afternoon clouds on the Kona slopes of the Big Island. For aviators, a note of caution is sounded as AIRMET Tango remains in effect due to low-level turbulence over and downwind of the terrain.
Mariners should be aware that moderate to strong trade winds will continue through Wednesday due to a high-pressure system north of the state. There may be a slight decrease in these winds around Thursday and Friday, but they are expected to pick up again for the weekend. The Small Craft Advisory for certain waters around Maui and the Big Island will remain in effect until 6 AM Thursday. Surf conditions on the east shore are expected to stay near seasonal levels through Wednesday before easing. South shores will see a mix of swells over the weekend, with a possible increase early next week. The north shore is likely to experience higher surf early next week from a long-period northwest swell.
Adding to the coastal concerns, high astronomical tides combined with water levels running approximately 0.6 to 0.8 feet above predicted, will bring about localized coastal inundation around the time of high tide this afternoon. A Coastal Flood Statement remains in effect, underlining the possible impact on affected areas.
