Hilo

Today: Partly sunny. Numerous light showers in the morning, then isolated light showers in the afternoon. Highs 79 to 86 near the shore to 65 to 73 at 4000 feet. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy with scattered light showers. Lows 62 to 72 near the shore to around 60 at 4000 feet. Northeast winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Saturday: Partly sunny. Scattered light showers in the morning, then isolated light showers in the afternoon. Highs 80 to 86 near the shore to 66 to 73 at 4000 feet. Northeast winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Kona

Today: Sunny in the morning, then mostly cloudy with isolated light showers in the afternoon. Highs 83 to 88 near the shore to around 72 near 5000 feet. Light winds becoming west up to 10 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy with isolated light showers in the evening, then mostly clear after midnight. Lows around 73 near the shore to around 60 near 5000 feet. Light winds. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Saturday: Sunny in the morning, then mostly cloudy with isolated light showers in the afternoon. Highs 84 to 89 near the shore to around 72 near 5000 feet. Light winds becoming west around 10 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Waimea

Today: Mostly sunny. Breezy. Scattered light showers in the morning, then isolated light showers in the afternoon. Highs 64 to 85. East winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Tonight: Breezy. Mostly cloudy with isolated light showers. Lows 63 to 72 near the shore to 57 to 63 near 3000 feet. East winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Saturday: Mostly sunny with isolated light showers. Highs 64 to 85. East winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Kohala

Today: Mostly sunny. Breezy. Scattered light showers in the morning, then isolated light showers in the afternoon. Highs 64 to 85. East winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Tonight: Breezy. Mostly cloudy with isolated light showers. Lows 63 to 72 near the shore to 57 to 63 near 3000 feet. East winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Saturday: Mostly sunny with isolated light showers. Highs 64 to 85. East winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

South Big Island

Today: Sunny and breezy. Isolated light showers in the afternoon. Highs around 85 near the shore to around 69 near 5000 feet. East winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows around 74 near the shore to around 58 near 5000 feet. East winds 10 to 15 mph.

Saturday: Sunny. Isolated light showers in the afternoon. Highs around 85 near the shore to around 69 near 5000 feet. East winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Puna

Today: Partly sunny. Numerous light showers in the morning, then isolated light showers in the afternoon. Highs 79 to 86 near the shore to 65 to 73 at 4000 feet. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy with scattered light showers. Lows 62 to 72 near the shore to around 60 at 4000 feet. Northeast winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Saturday: Partly sunny. Scattered light showers in the morning, then isolated light showers in the afternoon. Highs 80 to 86 near the shore to 66 to 73 at 4000 feet. Northeast winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Waikoloa

Today: Sunny. Isolated light showers in the afternoon. Highs 84 to 91 near the shore to 67 to 75 above 4000 feet. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows around 74 near the shore to 56 to 61 above 4000 feet. East winds 10 to 15 mph.

Saturday: Sunny. Isolated light showers in the afternoon. Highs 84 to 91 near the shore to 68 to 75 above 4000 feet. North winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Detailed Forecast

Synopsis

Moderate to breezy trade winds and a typical summertime pattern of limited windward showers and rather dry leeward conditions will continue through the week.

Discussion

A stable and breezy trade wind flow persists. Strong high pressure anchored far north of the islands is driving the breezy trade winds, and a mid-level ridge parked overhead is producing stable conditions with an inversion hovering between 4,000 to 7,000 ft. The GFS and ECMWF models suggest a decrease in trade wind showers through Saturday, supported by satellite data showing precipitable water dropping just east of the state in a cloud field dominated by stratocumulus. Expect limited rainfall to be confined to windward slopes, and with the exception of afternoon clouds and showers over the Kona slopes of the Big Island, leeward areas will be dry.
Trade winds will hold at moderate to breezy strength Sunday through the middle of next week, and ridging aloft will persist. As a result, only minor changes to the rainfall pattern are due as random pockets of shallow moisture move through.

Aviation

A high pressure ridge far north of the Hawaiian Islands will keep moderate to locally breezy trade winds in the forecast into the weekend. Brief periods of showers are possibly especially during the overnight to early morning hours. VFR conditions will prevail outside of showers.
AIRMET Tango remains in effect for moderate low level turbulence over and downwind of island mountains. Conditions are expected to continue through the weekend.

Marine

A surface high pressure system located far north of the state will maintain locally strong trade winds across the area through early next week. A Small Craft Advisory (SCA) remains in effect through this weekend for the typically windier waters adjacent to the islands of Maui County and the Big Island. In addition, recent scatterometer data showed winds of near 25 knots in the Kaiwi Channel, so that zone has been added to the SCA through Saturday. The latest forecast indicates the SCA will need to be extended for the windier waters from Monday through Tuesday.
No significant swells are expected through this weekend. A mix of small, medium-period south and southwest swell energy will produce small surf along south facing shores this morning. Surf will eventually return to tiny background heights heading into the weekend. Forerunners from a new small, long-period southwest swell are expected to arrive late Sunday, which will likely provide an increase in surf heights along south facing shores early next week. The locally strong trade winds are expected to maintain modest, choppy surf along east facing shores through early next week. Expect nearly flat conditions to persist along north facing shores.

HFO Watches/Warnings/Advisories

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

Big Island Now Weather is brought to you by Blue Hawaiian Helicopters.

Check out their Big Island Helicopter Tours today!

Data Courtesy of NOAA.gov