The trades will ease and shift east-southeasterly today and Saturday, as a front approaches from the west. Fairly dry conditions will persist during this time, with light showers limited primarily to windward and mauka areas. A weakening front may bring an increase in rain chances Sunday and Monday, as it moves into the western islands. A breezy trade wind pattern is then expected to return Tuesday through late next week.
Currently at the surface, a front is located a few hundred miles west of state while a weakening ridge of high pressure is positioned just to the north of the islands. The gradient has responded, with the trade winds decreasing into the light to moderate range across the state. Infrared satellite imagery shows clear to partly cloudy conditions in most areas, with a bit more cloud cover in some windward locales. Meanwhile, radar imagery shows very little if any shower activity across the state. Main short term concern revolves around rain chance during the next couple days.
A weakening front will gradually approach the islands from the west today and Saturday, easing the trades and shifting them around to an east-southeast direction. Rather dry weather is expected to persist through Saturday, as the deeper moisture associated with the front remains to the west and northwest of the state. The model solutions appear to be coming into better agreement Sunday and Monday, showing a slight increase in deep moisture and an increase in rain chances across the western islands. A transition back to a breezy trade wind pattern is then expected Tuesday through late next week.
The trades will ease and shift east-southeast today and tonight, as a front approaches from the west. The winds will be light enough to allow daytime sea breezes and overnight land breezes to develop in many areas. Rather dry conditions will persist, with light showers limited primarily to windward areas.
No AIRMETs are in effect and none are anticipated today.
Moderate to locally fresh east to southeast winds will continue through the weekend as a cold front approaches and moves into the area. This will allow localized land and sea breeze conditions to develop near sheltered coasts over the weekend. Fresh to strong easterly trades will return early next week as the surface ridge strengthens to the north and stalled frontal boundary diminishes in the area.
Surf along exposed east-facing shores will trend down today as a north-northeast swell eases. A fresh, short- to medium-period north-northeast swell from a gale centered around 1200 nautical miles northeast of the state is forecast to arrive over the weekend. This new swell will support surf holding through the weekend. Short-period and choppy conditions are expected to return by midweek as fresh trade winds redevelop and expand upstream of the state.
Surf along north- and west-facing shores will trend up beginning Saturday as a fresh west-northwest swell arrives from a broad gale that was located around 1500 nautical miles northwest of the state, south of the Aleutians near the Date Line. This swell will peak early next week before gradually lowering into midweek.
Surf along south-facing shores will remain near the seasonal average into March.
None.
