Photo Credit: Sebastien Gabriel

West Kaua’i

Today: Mostly sunny. Scattered showers in the morning. Highs around 88 near the shore to around 76 above 3000 feet. Northeast winds up to 10 mph shifting to the west in the afternoon. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Scattered showers after midnight. Lows around 72 near the shore to around 60 above 3000 feet. Northeast winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Saturday: Mostly sunny with isolated showers. Highs around 89 near the shore to around 77 above 3000 feet. East winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

South Kaua’i

Today: Partly sunny. Scattered showers in the morning. Highs 83 to 88. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Isolated showers in the evening, then scattered showers after midnight. Lows 69 to 74. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Saturday: Partly sunny. Numerous showers in the morning, then scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs 83 to 88. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Kaua’i Mountains

Today: Mostly cloudy. Numerous showers in the morning, then isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 76 to 84 in the valleys to around 68 above 4000 feet. East winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60 percent.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Isolated showers in the evening, then frequent showers after midnight. Lows 64 to 69 in the valleys to around 57 above 4000 feet. East winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80 percent.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy. Frequent showers in the morning, then scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs 76 to 85 in the valleys to around 69 above 4000 feet. East winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80 percent.

North Kaua’i

Today: Partly sunny. Scattered showers in the morning, then isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 78 to 87. East winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Isolated showers in the evening, then numerous showers after midnight. Lows 65 to 73. Southeast winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Saturday: Partly sunny with scattered showers. Highs 78 to 88. East winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

East Kaua’i

Today: Partly sunny. Numerous showers in the morning, then isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 76 to 86. Northeast winds up to 15 mph shifting to the east in the afternoon. Chance of rain 60 percent.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Isolated showers in the evening, then numerous showers after midnight. Lows 64 to 77. Northeast winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy. Numerous showers in the morning, then scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs 76 to 86. Northeast winds up to 10 mph shifting to the east in the afternoon. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Detailed Forecast

Synopsis

Moderate trade winds will persist through Saturday, then return to breezy levels on Sunday into early next week. With increased moisture riding in on the trades, showers will begin to increase in coverage a bit, but still generally favor windward and mauka areas, mostly overnight through the morning periods.

Discussion

The upper level ridge will continue to weaken over the main Hawaiian Islands as an upper level low builds to our northwest and an upper level trough nudges down from the northeast. This will allow the surface ridge to weaken and the trade winds to ease to moderate levels today. With this weakening trend, localized sea breezes will be possible this afternoon, allowing for some cloud and shower development over wind-protected leeward and interior areas. Then trades will build back to moderate to breezy levels through the weekend and into early next week as the surface high builds north of the state.
In contrast to the last couple of days when dry and stable conditions have dominated the local weather, increased moisture embedded in the trades and a less stable atmosphere due to the weakening ridge and higher temperature inversion heights will allow for a slightly wetter pattern over the next several days. Clouds and showers will still favor windward and mauka areas, but showers may make it over to leeward areas at times.

Aviation

Light to moderate easterly trades will continue through the 24-h period, with clouds and showers favoring windward and mauka locations. Localized sea breezes could lead to a few interior and leeward showers through the afternoon hours today.
There are currently no AIRMETs in effect, and none are anticipated today.

Marine

A weak ridge of high pressure north of the state will maintain gentle to moderate trades through around Saturday. As the ridge strengthens late this weekend into early next week, locally strong trade winds may return as early as Sunday afternoon. Moderate to fresh trades are expected during the first half of next week with borderline Small Craft Advisory conditions expected over the typical wind waters around Maui County and the Big Island.
A new small south- southwest swell is expected to build through the day. Tiny long period forerunners (16 seconds) have been observed over the early morning hours at the PacIOOS Kalaeloa (buoy 51212) but the dominant wave period looks to be 14 to 15 seconds as the energy fills in later today. The swell looks to peak Saturday slightly above the summer average, then slowly decline Sunday into early next week. Otherwise, several small pulses from the south are expected next week which should keep surf from going flat along south facing shores.
A few tiny pulses from the north-northwest are expected during the next few days and will likely keep the surf from going completely flat along north facing shores through the weekend. Short-period wind waves generated by the trade winds will gradually decline through Friday as the trades ease. Small, long- period east swells from increased east Pacific tropical cyclone activity may arrive over the weekend, leading to a subtle increase in surf heights.

HFO Watches/Warnings/Advisories

None.

Data Courtesy of NOAA.gov