Locally strong and gusty trade winds will prevail today as Tropical Storm Moke moves westward, several hundred miles south of the islands. Moisture along the northern periphery of Moke will bring wet conditions and a risk of flash flooding on the Big Island through Monday, while less rainfall is expected to impact windward sections from Maui to Kauai over the next couple of days. Trade winds will gradually ease Monday and Tuesday as Moke moves westward away from the area, with drier trade wind weather returning midweek.
Tropical Storm Moke was centered roughly 300 hundred miles south of the Big Island and continued on its west-northwestward track. Rain bands from the tropical storm will impact windward Big Island today, which will bring MVFR and periods of IFR conditions to the area.
Trade winds are expected to be moderate to locally strong statewide. Outside of windward Big Island, showers embedded within the trade wind flow will primarily impact windward and mountain areas, bringing periods of MVFR conditions. Otherwise, VFR will prevail.
AIRMET Tango is in effect for low level turbulence downwind of terrain due to the strengthened trade winds. AIRMET Sierra is in effect for mountain obscurations over windward Big Island and Kauai and may be expanded to other islands today. An AIRMET for IFR conditions over portions of windward Big Island is also a possibility later today.
TC SIGMET series XRAY covers Tropical Storm Moke and its convection.
Northeast winds have strengthened across the Hawaiian Island coastal waters, mainly around windward Big Island, as a result of Tropical Storm (TS) Moke passing west across the far southern offshore waters. At 5 AM HST, the center of Moke was located 270 nautical miles south Hilo. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the offshore waters. Intense convection associated with this storm is flaring up north of its center and will impact the southeastern offshore waters generally south of 18N today. An all- water Small Craft Advisory (SCA) is in effect to account for fresh to locally strong trades between surface high pressure located far northeast of the islands and TS Moke. Higher winds and short period wind wave swell generated by TS Moke may push significant sea heights to 10 feet or slightly higher across Big Island windward waters today.
East-facing shore surf will build today in response to strengthening trades. Surf along east and south-facing shores will be impacted by a short period east southeast swell generated by TS Moke as well as northeast wind wave swell as a result of these stronger trades. As Moke passes by to the south today and Monday a mounting southeast swell will veer and become south to southwest. This small, short period captured easterly fetch from TS Moke may push Big Island east surf to near advisory levels later today.
Surf along most south-facing shores will be slightly below summer norms but still remain somewhat elevated due to a lingering small, long period south southwest swell. A three to four foot, medium to long period south swell is expected to arrive Monday and Tuesday which will maintain these near summertime heights.
Small, medium to long period west to north swell originating from Hurricane Lala is passing around north and west-facing coasts today.
Wind Advisory until 6 PM HST this evening for Big Island Interior-Big Island North-Big Island South-Big Island Southeast- Kahoolawe-Kohala-Lanai Leeward-Lanai Mauka-Lanai Windward-Maui Central Valley North-Maui Central Valley South-Maui Leeward West- Molokai Leeward South-Molokai North-Molokai Southeast-Molokai West-South Haleakala-Windward Haleakala.
Flood Watch through Monday afternoon for Big Island East-Big Island Interior-Big Island North-Big Island South-Big Island Southeast-Big Island Summits-Kohala-Kona.
Small Craft Advisory until 6 PM HST this evening for Alenuihaha Channel-Big Island Leeward Waters-Big Island Southeast Waters- Big Island Windward Waters-Kaiwi Channel-Kauai Channel-Kauai Leeward Waters-Kauai Northwest Waters-Kauai Windward Waters- Maalaea Bay-Maui County Leeward Waters-Maui County Windward Waters-Oahu Leeward Waters-Oahu Windward Waters-Pailolo Channel.
