Photo Credit: James Grenz

Hilo

Today: Mostly sunny in the morning then becoming partly sunny. Isolated showers. Highs 79 to 85 near the shore to 67 to 72 at 4000 feet. East winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Isolated showers early in the evening, then scattered showers in the late evening and overnight. Lows around 68 near the shore to around 54 at 4000 feet. Southeast winds up to 10 mph shifting to the west after midnight. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Friday: Mostly sunny. Scattered showers in the morning, then isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 79 to 85 near the shore to 67 to 72 at 4000 feet. Northeast winds up to 15 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Kona

Today: Mostly sunny in the morning, then mostly cloudy with scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs around 85 near the shore to around 72 near 5000 feet. Light winds becoming west up to 10 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy in the evening then becoming partly cloudy. Isolated showers. Lows around 70 near the shore to around 54 near 5000 feet. Light winds. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Friday: Mostly sunny in the morning, then mostly cloudy with scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs around 85 near the shore to around 72 near 5000 feet. Light winds. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Waimea

Today: Mostly sunny in the morning, then partly sunny with isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs around 81 near the shore to 72 to 79 near 3000 feet. East winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Isolated showers in the evening, then scattered showers after midnight. Lows around 67 near the shore to 54 to 61 near 3000 feet. East winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Friday: Mostly sunny. Breezy. Scattered showers in the morning, then isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs around 81 near the shore to 72 to 79 near 3000 feet. East winds up to 20 mph increasing to 10 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Kohala

Today: Mostly sunny in the morning, then partly sunny with isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs around 81 near the shore to 72 to 79 near 3000 feet. East winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Isolated showers in the evening, then scattered showers after midnight. Lows around 67 near the shore to 54 to 61 near 3000 feet. East winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Friday: Mostly sunny. Breezy. Scattered showers in the morning, then isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs around 81 near the shore to 72 to 79 near 3000 feet. East winds up to 20 mph increasing to 10 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 50 percent.

South Big Island

Today: Breezy. Mostly sunny in the morning, then partly sunny with scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs around 84 near the shore to around 73 near 5000 feet. East winds up to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy with isolated showers in the evening, then mostly clear after midnight. Lows around 68 near the shore to around 53 near 5000 feet. Northeast winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Friday: Sunny in the morning, then mostly cloudy with scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs around 84 near the shore to around 73 near 5000 feet. East winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Puna

Today: Mostly sunny in the morning then becoming partly sunny. Isolated showers. Highs 79 to 85 near the shore to 67 to 72 at 4000 feet. East winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Isolated showers early in the evening, then scattered showers in the late evening and overnight. Lows around 68 near the shore to around 54 at 4000 feet. Southeast winds up to 10 mph shifting to the west after midnight. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Friday: Mostly sunny. Scattered showers in the morning, then isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 79 to 85 near the shore to 67 to 72 at 4000 feet. Northeast winds up to 15 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Waikoloa

Today: Sunny in the morning, then partly sunny with isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 82 to 87 near the shore to 68 to 74 above 4000 feet. North winds up to 10 mph shifting to the northwest in the afternoon. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Tonight: Partly cloudy with isolated showers. Lows around 71 near the shore to 50 to 57 above 4000 feet. Light winds. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Friday: Mostly sunny. Isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 82 to 87 near the shore to 68 to 74 above 4000 feet. North winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Detailed Forecast

Synopsis

A trough of low pressure will slowly shift west today through Friday, allowing a gradual return of trade winds from east to west across the state. Rather dry conditions will prevail for most areas, although Kauai should see a few more showers today and tonight. Rather dry trade wind weather will then prevail Friday through the middle of next week, with mainly windward and mauka showers and very little shower activity reaching leeward communities.

Discussion

Currently at the surface, a nearly stationary trough of low pressure is located over Kauai, with a 1019 high to the distant northwest and a 1030 mb high to the distant northeast. Light winds prevail, with land breezes present statewide. Infrared satellite imagery shows mostly cloud conditions over much of Kauai and Oahu, with partly cloudy skies in most other locales. Radar imagery shows a few showers around Kauai and the Big Island, with very little shower activity elsewhere. Main short term focus revolves around rain chances and the returning trade winds.
The trough of low pressure will retrograde slowly westward today through Friday, allowing trade winds to gradually return from east to west across the state. Moderate trade winds should overspread the island chain by Friday night, then hold in place through Tuesday with only minor fluctuations in strength from day to day. The trades should ease again around the middle of next week as a new front approaches from the north.
As for the remaining weather details, lingering moisture around Kauai will likely result in higher coverage of showers today and tonight. Rather dry weather is expected elsewhere, with a few showers developing over interior and leeward areas this afternoon, and moving into windward slopes and coasts tonight. A more typical, yet drier than normal, trade wind pattern will begin to return for Friday, with showers favoring windward and mauka areas. Localized sea breezes will also bring the potential for a few leeward and interior showers during the afternoon once again. Rather dry trade wind weather will then prevail Friday night through the middle of next week, with mainly windward and mauka showers and very little shower activity reaching leeward communities.

Aviation

Light and variable flow will persist through the remainder of the this morning.
A weak front near Kauai will bring scattered showers to Kauai and surrounding waters through the forecast period. Elsewhere across the state, mainly dry conditions are expected. Trade winds return by this afternoon from east to west across the region and could bring a return of isolated showers to windward locations.
No AIRMETS are currently in effect.

Marine

Light southeasterly to variable winds will continue through today. High pressure north of the islands then builds eastward bringing a return to moderate trades by Friday and locally fresh trades for the weekend.
A moderate northwest, medium period swell will build and peak during the morning hours as it goes down the island chain from northwest to southeast. Offshore buoy 51101 swell height peaked near 9 feet last night, transitioned towards the north, and has been on the decline through the night. This will translate to the swell dropping rather quickly Friday and into the weekend.
Surf along south facing shores will maintain small surf through the weekend as a small long period southwest swell will build over south facing shores Friday into the weekend. Surf along east- facing shores will remain small until trades return this weekend, but as this northwesterly swell clocks more north, exposed shorelines on the east sides may see swell energy wrap today into Friday.

HFO Watches/Warnings/Advisories

None.

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