Honolulu residents are bracing for a spell of wet weather as a cold front, currently located about 200 miles northwest of Kauai, inches closer to the Hawaiian Islands, bringing with it showers across various parts of the state. According to the National Weather Service in Honolulu, Kauai and Niihau have been experiencing rainfall this morning, which is expected to extend to Oahu as the day progresses.
The National Weather Service in Honolulu indicates that while the cold front is anticipated to stall and dissipate near Kauai tonight, it's expected that this will lead to less rainfall for Oahu and Molokai in the next 12 to 24 hours, but still with periods of showers are in the forecast though with a lower intensity than initially projected. The development of isolated thunderstorms remains possible mainly in the vicinity of Niihau, Kauai, and Oahu. Conditions will improve by Tuesday morning, with more stable easterly trade winds sweeping across the islands, leading to the usual pattern of nighttime and early morning showers in windward and mountain areas.
By midweek, an upper-level ridge is forecasted to build over the state, which is likely to limit rainfall and usher in drier conditions statewide that could last through the weekend, even as pilots are advised to expect mountain obscuration across the island chain, as noted by the NWS Honolulu's issuance of an AIRMET Sierra.
For mariners, the approaching cold front will switch winds to become more southerly across the western half of the island chain, and even though the front is expected to dissipate near Oahu by tonight, widespread showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms are forecasted for the waters surrounding Kauai and Oahu, as reported by the NWS Honolulu. Looking further ahead, a northwest swell, generated by a deep low-pressure system south of the Aleutian Islands, is expected to cause high surf on northern and western shores, with an Advisory in effect until Tuesday evening for certain areas.
As part of the weather updates, the NWS Honolulu has issued a High Surf Advisory effective from noon today to 6 PM HST Tuesday for north and west-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, and Oahu. Given these conditions, beachgoers, surfers, and the coastal community should remain vigilant and adhere to the advisories issued for their safety.
