Oahu residents can expect a persistent breeze through the evening as easterly trade winds continue to gust, but a gradual shift is on the horizon. Light to moderate breezes are forecast from Wednesday through Friday, as high-pressure systems to the north begin to weaken, according to the latest updates from the National Weather Service in Honolulu. This slowing down of the trades will also bring light showers, favoring the windward and mauka areas, while leeward locales might escape with few and far between sprinkles.
Changes in the atmosphere, as reported by the National Weather Service, indicate a deep-layer ridge is holding steady today but is predicted to falter as an upper trough moves southeast towards Hawaii tonight into Wednesday. Consequently, most parts of the state will maintain a typically dry pattern, although with the weakening trade winds, there's a chance for light showers. "Light showers will favor windward and mauka locations, particularly through the overnight and morning periods," the National Weather Service said, but some, brief showers could also light up interior or leeward spots in the afternoons where localized sea breezes form as the trades ease.
Aviation and marine activity will be affected by the shift in wind patterns as well. Pilots are cautioned to expect moderate turbulence over the islands due to current wind conditions, while on the water, a Small Craft Advisory remains in effect for Maui County and the Big Island until this evening. Come Wednesday, however, mariners can anticipate gentler seas as the trade winds mellow out – a respite before they pick back up over the weekend, bringing robust breezy conditions back to the forefront.
For those looking to hit the waves, don't expect much from the east-facing shores through the rest of the week; a small, choppy swell persists today, but surf levels are predicted to dip as the winds do. According to the National Weather Service, "Surf along east facing shores will continue at small, choppy levels today due to the locally strong trades, then decrease slightly as trades ease through the rest of the week." Meanwhile, a new swell from the north is expected to roll in by Thursday night, peaking Friday, and then gradually subsiding through the weekend. And although the south shores are on the quieter side, small swells from the south and southwest will keep it from flatlining completely.
