Breezy trades will gradually ease today becoming moderate to locally breezy Tuesday. Clouds and showers will be limited to windward and mauka areas with some spilling over to leeward areas. Breezy to locally windy trades will redevelop Wednesday through Thursday as a new strong surface high settles north of the state. A slight uptick in windward showers can be expected during the second half of the week as a band of moisture moves from north to south across the state. Moderate to locally breezy trades will return over the weekend.
Moderate to locally breezy trade winds will continue through the day today with a drier airmass in place. Isolated showers along windward areas may produce brief periods of MVFR ceilings and visibilities.
AIRMET Sierra is in effect for mountain obscuration over Kauai. This should improve by this afternoon.
AIRMET Tango remains in effect for moderate turbulence below 8000 feet within the lee of higher terrain. This AIRMET will likely continue through the next several days as locally breezy trade winds persist.
Fresh to strong trade winds will gradually decrease through Tuesday as the subtropical ridge north of the state shows a slight weakening trend. Tropical Storm Pena continues to drift westward, passing several hundred miles south of the Hawaiian Islands. Trade winds will strengthen once again on Wednesday as the ridge builds in north of the island chain. A surface trough will move into the region from the north on Thursday, spreading unsettled clouds and showers across the coastal waters.
A medium period swell out of the north-northwest (340 degree) will hold today as another small to moderate swell fills in later tonight, keeping elevated surf along north and west facing shores through Tuesday. A much larger northwest to north- northwest swell was generated by a gale force low developing east of Kamchatka. This large north-northwest swell may bring warning level surf heights to exposed north and west facing shores building in through the day on Wednesday, peaking Wednesday night, decreasing to advisory levels on Thursday, and then falling below advisory levels by Friday.
A small south swell will keep tiny surf in the forecast along south facing shores today before declining through the remainder of the week.
Rough surf along east-facing shores will hold at or above seasonal average today. Expect slight decreasing trends as trade winds ease up on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Small Craft Advisory until 6 PM HST this evening for Kaiwi Channel-Kauai Channel-Kauai Leeward Waters-Kauai Northwest Waters-Kauai Windward Waters-Maui County Leeward Waters-Maui County Windward Waters-Oahu Leeward Waters-Oahu Windward Waters.
Small Craft Advisory until 6 PM HST Tuesday for Alenuihaha Channel-Big Island Leeward Waters-Big Island Southeast Waters- Maalaea Bay-Pailolo Channel.
