West Kaua’i

Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows around 65 near the shore to around 55 above 3000 feet. Northeast winds up to 10 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny with isolated showers. Highs around 81 near the shore to around 70 above 3000 feet. Northeast winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Friday Night: Mostly clear. Isolated showers in the evening. Lows around 65 near the shore to around 55 above 3000 feet. Northeast winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

South Kaua’i

Tonight: Partly cloudy with isolated showers. Lows around 65. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Friday: Partly sunny with scattered showers in the morning, then mostly sunny with isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 75 to 83. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40 percent.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy. Isolated showers in the evening. Lows around 65. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Kaua’i Mountains

Tonight: Partly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows 57 to 64 in the valleys to around 52 above 4000 feet. East winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Friday: Partly sunny with scattered showers. Highs 70 to 76 in the valleys to around 60 above 4000 feet. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy. Scattered showers in the evening, then isolated showers after midnight. Lows 58 to 63 in the valleys to around 53 above 4000 feet. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.

North Kaua’i

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Isolated showers in the evening, then scattered showers after midnight. Lows 58 to 67. East winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Friday: Partly sunny with scattered showers in the morning, then mostly sunny with isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 72 to 81. East winds up to 15 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy with isolated showers. Lows 58 to 68. East winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

East Kaua’i

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Isolated showers in the evening, then scattered showers after midnight. Lows 59 to 70. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Friday: Partly sunny in the morning then becoming mostly sunny. Scattered showers. Highs 69 to 80. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy with isolated showers. Lows 59 to 69. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Detailed Forecast

Synopsis

Trade winds will be with us through the weekend. There will be the usual showers, mainly windward and mauka. Things start to change Monday as our low level flow will shift to southeasterly, then becoming southerly by Wednesday. Moisture will increase and the potential for heavy rain and flooding may return Tuesday night into Wednesday night, perhaps lasting several days.

Discussion

Issued at 345 PM HST Thu Apr 2 2026
Radar and satellite show lots of high clouds passing quickly over the state this afternoon, along with isolated mostly light showers, mainly over the Kona district on the Big Island. Winds were typical trades, out of the NE through ESE at most locations and averaging 10 to 15 mph with occasional gusts 20 to 25 mph.
In the short term, we continue to have a solid trade inversion set up around 5500-6500 feet MSL. This, along with relatively dry air at low levels, will keep us mostly dry through the weekend.
Early next week, the first of a potential series of upper level troughs will move by north of the state. This will shift low level winds around to SE and start to bring increased moisture from the south. Tuesday into Wednesday, the moisture appears to increase enough to significantly raise the chance of moderate to heavy rain over the area, and winds may become southerly. There is still a good deal of model spread on how strong this next potential system will be and how much rain may be headed our way. However, the potential for heavy rain and flooding is there, and this will be watched carefully. Confidence in the forecast will increase, as always, as we get closer in time. Please keep yourself updated through the weekend for the latest forecasts.

Aviation

Issued at 345 PM HST Thu Apr 2 2026
Trade wind pattern will continue into Friday with light showers on windward and upslope mauka areas. Intermittent MVFR conditions are possible in any isolated shower. Otherwise, prevailing VFR conditions are expected.
An AIRMET is in effect for the entire area for moderate turbulence between FL280 and FL380. Turbulence is forecast to increase over the next 6 to 12 hours, potentially reaching severe levels in isolated areas.

Marine

Issued at 345 PM HST Thu Apr 2 2026
Weakening high pressure north of the islands will shift eastward over the next few days, leading to a weakening of the trade winds into the moderate to fresh range. Winds begin to veer east to southeast early next week ahead of a front approaching from the northwest. A Small Craft Advisory remains in effect for the typically windier waters around Maui County and the Big Island through Friday morning. Periods of locally strong winds are possible for the windier waters through at least Saturday.
The short period northeast swell will continue a gradual decrease through the weekend as the northeast trade winds slowly diminish. As a result, surf along north- and east-facing shores surf will gradually decline through the rest of the week, but will still retain a little size and chop due to the moderate to locally breezy trades. A small, medium period northeast swell is also possible mid-next week.
North- and west-facing shore surf will remain small to tiny until the arrival of a small, medium-period west-northwest (310 degree) swell Friday night and a second small, medium-period northwest (340 degree) swell late Saturday. A small to moderate medium-period west- northwest swell looks to arrive early next week and fills in by mid- week. Along south facing shores, expect small reinforcements to provide periods of small surf through the weekend until a slightly larger long period south swell fills in early next week. However, veering local winds may lead to increasingly choppy conditions through the week.

HFO Watches/Warnings/Advisories

Small Craft Advisory until 6 AM HST Friday for Alenuihaha Channel, Big Island Leeward Waters, Big Island Southeast Waters, Maalaea Bay, Pailolo Channel.

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Data Courtesy of NOAA.gov