Cold Front Will Increase Chance of Showers
Alerts
A Small Craft Advisory is posted for the Alenuihaha channel as well as Big Island leeward and southeast waters through midnight. Winds up to 25 knots are expected out of the east and rough seas up to 11 feet. Inexperienced mariners should avoid navigating in these conditions.
**Click directly on the images below to make them larger. Charts include: Big Island high/low forecasted temperatures, projected winds, chance of cloud cover, projected localized weather conditions, vog/SO2 forecast and expected wave heights.**
Today, Friday November 21, 2014
Today windward and mauka areas can expect mostly cloudy skies with ares of scattered showers. Meanwhile, the leeward side and coastline can expect a mostly clear morning before clouds begin to build in the afternoon as the sea breeze develops due to daytime heating. The UHSOEST vog model is predicting voggy conditions for the south and west ares of the Big Island (see forecast image above). High temperatures should fall in the range of 81° to 86° and around 71° at 5000 feet. Winds are expected to drop slight with east winds from 10 to 20 mph expected.
Sunrise: 6:32 a.m.
Sunset: 5:40 p.m.
UV index at 5 (“moderate” exposure level)
Tonight
We expect mostly cloudy skies tonight with scattered windward and mauka showers and mostly clear skies in leeward spots after the clouds and showers clear from daytime heating in the afternoon and evening. Our natural air conditioning is expected to blow out of the east from 10 to 20 mph. Low temperatures should fall in the range of 69° to 74° with a low of about 56° at 5000 feet.
Moonrise: 5:48 a.m.
Moonset: 5:26 p.m.
Next New Moon: Nov. 22 at 2:33 a.m.
Next Full Moon: Dec. 6 at 2:27 a.m.
Looking Ahead
Trade winds are expected to remain breezy through the week with lighter winds currently forecasted for the weekend. A gradual weakening trend is currently underway. A front is expected to reach the islands early next week, pushing down the island chain to Hawaii County sometime late Monday, early Tuesday and bringing an increase in showers. Ahead of the front winds will weaken and a diurnal land / sea breeze weather pattern will set up. That in combination with unstable conditions could spawn heavy showers Sunday afternoon.
Almanac for Hilo Airport
Maximum Temperature for today:
Normal 80°
Record 85° / Set in 1977
Minimum Temperature for today:
Normal 67°
Record 61° / Set in 1954 and tied in 2003