Hilo

Tonight: Numerous showers in the evening, then occasional showers after midnight. Lows 59 to 68 near the shore to 49 to 55 at 4000 feet. North winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.

Friday: Occasional showers in the morning, then scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs 76 to 81 near the shore to around 63 at 4000 feet. Northeast winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy with numerous showers. Lows 59 to 69 near the shore to 51 to 57 at 4000 feet. North winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Kona

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Isolated showers in the evening. Lows around 70 near the shore to 46 to 52 near 5000 feet. Light winds. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Friday: Mostly sunny in the morning, then partly sunny with scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs 81 to 86 near the shore to around 65 near 5000 feet. Light winds. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy. Isolated showers in the evening. Lows around 71 near the shore to 48 to 53 near 5000 feet. Light winds. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Waimea

Tonight: Breezy. Partly cloudy with scattered showers in the evening, then mostly cloudy with numerous showers after midnight. Lows 60 to 69 near the shore to 53 to 61 near 3000 feet. East winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Friday: Mostly cloudy. Breezy. Numerous showers in the morning, then scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs around 77 near the shore to 66 to 76 near 3000 feet. East winds 10 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Friday Night: Breezy. Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows 60 to 70 near the shore to 54 to 62 near 3000 feet. East winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Kohala

Tonight: Breezy. Partly cloudy with scattered showers in the evening, then mostly cloudy with numerous showers after midnight. Lows 60 to 69 near the shore to 53 to 61 near 3000 feet. East winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Friday: Mostly cloudy. Breezy. Numerous showers in the morning, then scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs around 77 near the shore to 66 to 76 near 3000 feet. East winds 10 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Friday Night: Breezy. Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows 60 to 70 near the shore to 54 to 62 near 3000 feet. East winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

South Big Island

Tonight: Mostly clear. Breezy. Isolated showers in the evening. Lows around 73 near the shore to around 53 near 5000 feet. Northeast winds up to 20 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Friday: Mostly sunny. Breezy. Isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs around 85 near the shore to around 66 near 5000 feet. East winds up to 25 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Friday Night: Mostly clear. Breezy. Isolated showers in the evening. Lows around 74 near the shore to around 54 near 5000 feet. Northeast winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Puna

Tonight: Numerous showers in the evening, then occasional showers after midnight. Lows 59 to 68 near the shore to 49 to 55 at 4000 feet. North winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.

Friday: Occasional showers in the morning, then scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs 76 to 81 near the shore to around 63 at 4000 feet. Northeast winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy with numerous showers. Lows 59 to 69 near the shore to 51 to 57 at 4000 feet. North winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Waikoloa

Tonight: Mostly clear. Breezy. Lows around 71 near the shore to around 51 above 4000 feet. East winds up to 25 mph.

Friday: Windy. Mostly sunny in the morning, then partly sunny with isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 81 to 86 near the shore to around 68 above 4000 feet. Northeast winds up to 30 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy. Breezy. Isolated showers in the evening. Lows around 72 near the shore to 50 to 55 above 4000 feet. East winds up to 20 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Detailed Forecast

Synopsis

An upper-level low northeast of the islands will remain nearly stationary through Friday, enhancing clouds and showers with moderate to locally breezy trade winds prevailing. This weekend, the upper low is forecast to move northeast away from the state, and wind speeds will decrease slightly. Mainly windward and mauka showers are expected, with limited spillover into leeward areas. Moderate trades will prevail into early next week, followed by lighter flow a land/sea breeze pattern thereafter.

Discussion

Issued at 835 PM HST Thu Apr 30 2026
Moderate to breezy trade winds are forecast to continue for the next several days thanks to a series of high pressure systems that will move from west to east across the North Pacific. An upper- level low centered 600-700 miles northeast of the state is causing some local instability resulting in deeper clouds and some enhanced shower activity across windward and mauka areas, with isolated showers reaching leeward areas. This upper-level low will remain nearly stationary through Friday, keeping some cold air aloft over the region. This will continue the risk of occasional moderate to briefly heavy showers.
Trade wind speeds should weaken slightly Saturday into Sunday as the upper-level low exits the region to the northeast. Periods of showers will continue to favor windward and mauka areas. Moderate trades will continue into early next week, though a weakness in the ridge could reduce speeds further as early as Tuesday. This scenario would support daytime sea breezes and nighttime land breezes beginning as early as Tuesday and lasting through the middle of the week.

Aviation

Issued at 315 PM HST Thu Apr 30 2026
A stationary upper low is situated northeast of Hawaii that will enhance some of the incoming low clouds and showers that will focus windward by fresh trade winds. Will be monitoring for mountain obscurations due to showers over windward slopes tonight, but coverage is brief/isolated for now.
AIRMET Tango is posted for tempo moderate turbulence across leeward sides of all islands below 8000 feet due to the breezy trade winds. Expect this AIRMET to continue into Friday.

Marine

Issued at 835 PM HST Thu Apr 30 2026
Fresh to strong easterly trades are expected to strengthen overnight into Friday as high pressure builds north-northeast of the state. As a result, the Small Craft Advisory has been expanded to include all Hawaiian waters. Winds will gradually ease over the weekend as the ridge weakens in response to a front passing far north of the islands. This downward trend should allow winds to fall below advisory levels across most, if not all, waters by the end of the weekend, with similar conditions lingering into Monday. Trades are then forecast to ease further Tuesday through midweek, potentially allowing a land and sea breeze pattern to develop near the coasts.
Surf along exposed north and west-facing shores will build above early May averages this weekend due to a relatively active northern Pacific pattern for this time of year. Although offshore buoys have yet to detect this new swell energy, long-period northwest (320 deg) forerunners are expected to arrive by daybreak Friday, leading to a gradual increase through the day. Surf heights could approach advisory levels Friday night into Saturday, particularly if the swell arrives larger than currently forecast. This swell will then gradually ease through the weekend. Another, slightly smaller northwest pulse is expected early next week, maintaining elevated surf along north and west-facing shores. Looking ahead, guidance indicates yet another long-period northwest (320 deg) swell may arrive late next week, generated by a developing storm near Japan that is forecast to lift northeast toward the Kuril Islands over the weekend.
Surf along south-facing shores will trend up over the weekend as a long-period south-southwest pulse arrives. Expect a peak later in the weekend and into Monday before lowering.
Surf along east-facing shores will briefly rise (rough/short- period surf) through the day Friday in response to the strong trades locally and upstream. A downward trend is then anticipated as the trades ease over the weekend.

HFO Watches/Warnings/Advisories

Small Craft Advisory until 6 PM HST Friday for all Hawaiian 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