Trade winds are making a comeback in Honolulu and while showers might linger in windward and mauka regions throughout the morning, the weather is expected to clear up by tonight, with a dry and stable pattern settling in for the second half of the week, reports the National Weather Service (NWS). For those venturing out to sea, a Small Craft Advisory remains in effect until Wednesday morning, mainly around the usual suspect areas of Maui and the Big Island, with likely extensions as the week progresses.
With the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Ivo moving past the state, the increase in trade wind speeds throughout the day could bring some relief from the humidity, bringing a decreasing trend in showers, especially over Kona slopes where seabreezes might trigger cloudiness and light rainfall later in the day. Aviation will mostly remain VFR though scattered low clouds and showers will persist in the early morning, creating MVFR conditions in those showers, trade winds are forecasted to pick up, leading to AIRMET Tango potentially being in play later as wind speeds increase below the inversion.
For surfers, the ongoing southern swell will continue to generate modest waves, with a medium to long period south swell expected by Wednesday midweek, providing a little ''bump'' to the surf heights along south facing shores, according to the NWS. East-facing shores will remain choppy due to the consistent trade winds, while north facing shores should expect minimal activity.
On the fire weather front, while conditions remain below critical fire weather thresholds currently, they could ramp up later in the week into the weekend as drier and more stable conditions return and trade winds intensify, this amplifies the risk of fires as the inversion layer strengthens and humidity drops which could result in elevated fire weather concerns. In conclusion, it's shaping up to be a typical summer week in Honolulu with a mix of breezy winds, some clouds and showers giving way to sunnier skies and dry weather, along with caution needed for mariners and acknowledgement of potential fire risks.
