Trades remain weak through Friday as a trough advances north of the islands. Tropical Depression 2C has formed southeast of Hawaii and is forecast to track south of the area early next week bringing strengthening winds and potential for heavy rainfall, especially to the eastern end of the state.
A surface trough moving from east to west through the islands today will keep winds light enough for local land and sea breezes to set up. Afternoon clouds and showers are expected over the interior of the islands, with some MVFR conditions possible. Some clearing of the clouds and showers are expected overnight. However with weak trade wind flow setting up behind the trough, some clouds and showers will set up over windward and mauka areas. VFR conditions are expected to prevail, except those pockets of MVFR in clouds and showers.
No AIRMETs are currently in effect, and none are expected through Friday night.
A trough just northeast of the islands will track northwestward across the offshore waters, leading to a period of light and variable winds for most waters today. By late Friday, moderate to locally fresh trades will begin to build back into the region as the trough exits to the northwest, high pressure drifts southward closer to the island chain, and Tropical Depression Two-C nears the state from the southeast. The forecast for this weekend will depend significantly on the uncertain track of this tropical cyclone.
Surf along south facing shores will remain slightly below average through Thursday. A long period south-southwest swell generated from gales just south and east of New Zealand will begin arriving later today into Friday, boosting surf to near or slightly below average by Saturday. Surf along east facing shores also remains below average with weak trades, then builds this weekend as the trades restrengthen. Surf along east- and south-facing shores will be compounded by a southeast swell generated by Tropical Depression Two-C that will build through Sunday and may persist through early next week. This short-period tropical swell could cause surf to approach advisory levels along east facing shores of the Big Island Saturday night into Sunday. North facing shores will remain tiny through Friday, with a slight bump from Lala swell possible this weekend.
None.
