Hilo

Tonight: Occasional showers. Lows 59 to 68 near the shore to 50 to 56 at 4000 feet. North winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.

Wednesday: Partly sunny. Numerous showers in the morning, then scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs around 79 near the shore to around 64 at 4000 feet. North winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Wednesday Night: Numerous showers in the evening, then frequent showers after midnight. Lows 58 to 68 near the shore to 49 to 55 at 4000 feet. Northwest winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.

Kona

Tonight: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers in the evening, then partly cloudy with isolated showers after midnight. Lows around 71 near the shore to 47 to 53 near 5000 feet. Light winds. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Wednesday: Partly sunny. Isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 80 to 86 near the shore to around 65 near 5000 feet. Light winds. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy. Isolated showers in the evening. Lows around 70 near the shore to 47 to 52 near 5000 feet. Light winds. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Waimea

Tonight: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows 60 to 70 near the shore to 53 to 60 near 3000 feet. East winds up to 15 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph after midnight. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Wednesday: Breezy. Partly sunny with scattered showers in the morning, then mostly sunny with isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs around 77 near the shore to 67 to 76 near 3000 feet. East winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy. Breezy. Scattered showers in the evening, then numerous showers after midnight. Lows 59 to 69 near the shore to 52 to 60 near 3000 feet. East winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Kohala

Tonight: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows 60 to 70 near the shore to 53 to 60 near 3000 feet. East winds up to 15 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph after midnight. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Wednesday: Breezy. Partly sunny with scattered showers in the morning, then mostly sunny with isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs around 77 near the shore to 67 to 76 near 3000 feet. East winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy. Breezy. Scattered showers in the evening, then numerous showers after midnight. Lows 59 to 69 near the shore to 52 to 60 near 3000 feet. East winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

South Big Island

Tonight: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers in the evening, then mostly clear after midnight. Lows around 73 near the shore to around 54 near 5000 feet. Northeast winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40 percent.

Wednesday: Breezy. Mostly sunny in the morning, then partly sunny with isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs around 84 near the shore to around 64 near 5000 feet. East winds up to 20 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy. Isolated showers in the evening. Lows around 73 near the shore to around 53 near 5000 feet. Northeast winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Puna

Tonight: Occasional showers. Lows 59 to 68 near the shore to 50 to 56 at 4000 feet. North winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.

Wednesday: Partly sunny. Numerous showers in the morning, then scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs around 79 near the shore to around 64 at 4000 feet. North winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Wednesday Night: Numerous showers in the evening, then frequent showers after midnight. Lows 58 to 68 near the shore to 49 to 55 at 4000 feet. Northwest winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.

Waikoloa

Tonight: Mostly clear. Breezy. Isolated showers in the evening. Lows around 71 near the shore to around 52 above 4000 feet. East winds up to 20 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Wednesday: Sunny and breezy. Isolated showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs 81 to 86 near the shore to around 68 above 4000 feet. Northeast winds up to 25 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear. Breezy. Isolated showers in the evening. Lows 68 to 73 near the shore to 49 to 54 above 4000 feet. East winds up to 25 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Detailed Forecast

Synopsis

An upper trough will slide from north of the state to the east through Wednesday before settling northeast of the area. Moderate to fresh trade winds will continue to funnel in clouds and showers that will be enhanced by the upper trough over the next several days.

Short term update

The broad area of high pressure remains north of the Hawaiian Islands and will continue to support moderate trades through the next several days. An upper-level trough is still depicted to move through the area through midweek, settling northeast of the state for the remainder of the week before meandering away by the weekend. This will be addressed in further detail with the morning forecast package. Otherwise, no amendments were needed to the latest forecast as it continues to remain on track.

Prev discussion

Issued at 355 PM HST Tue Apr 28 2026 An upper trough north of Hawaii will dive southeastward through Wednesday. The trough will form a cutoff low and become stationary around 600 miles northeast of Hawaii through Friday night before shifting away this weekend. Meanwhile, moderate to fresh trade winds continue at the surface. Current visible satellite shows cloud build ups across East Maui and Big Island and partly clouds elsewhere where trades are blowing this afternoon. Radar shows heavy showers popping up across the Big Island due to sea breeze convergence and instability from the upper trough. Expect these showers to wane around sunset. 00Z soundings show no inversion present with with a narrow band of CAPE to the equilibrium level at both Hilo and Lihue. Precipitable water values are average 1.2 to 1.3 inches.
Instability generated by the cold pool aloft will enhance showers and bring a slight chance of thunderstorms on the Big Island again Wednesday afternoon. Windward showers will see the highest activity during the overnight to early morning hours.
The upper low northeast of the islands will keep inversion and cloud heights elevated, allowing periods of showers to continue through the second half of the week. Only subtle day to day changes in island weather patterns are expected. This wet trade wind pattern may linger into the first half of next week as a shallow cold front and upper level trough approach the islands from the northwest.

Aviation

Issued at 355 PM HST Tue Apr 28 2026 Whilst undergoing modest strengthening into tomorrow, locally breezy trades continue to deliver showers windward and mauka. Isolated MVFR possible within heavier showers, but VFR prevails, except perhaps Windward Big Island where observational trends and the latest guidance suggest a greater coverage of showers and MVFR potential tonight.
AIRMET Sierra may be needed for Windward Big Island tonight.
AIRMET Tango for lee turb may be needed as early as Wednesday afternoon as trades strengthen.
No AIRMETs in effect.

Marine

Issued at 355 PM HST Tue Apr 28 2026 Moderate to fresh east-northeast trades will continue tonight before strengthening on Wednesday as a weak trough shifts to the west and a ridge builds north of the state. A Small Craft Advisory (SCA) has been issued for the typically windier waters surrounding Maui County and the Big Island beginning Wednesday morning. The SCA is likely to be extended through at least Friday before a trough approaches from the northwest this weekend, which will lead to a period of more relaxed trade winds.
Offshore buoys continue to show the new northwest swell around or below 1 ft. As a result, surf along north and west facing shores will remain small tonight before a small bump is possible on Wednesday. An upward trend is then expected during the second half of the week as another northwest swell arrives as early as Wednesday night. This swell originates from a storm-force low that tracked into the Bering Sea this past weekend, as confirmed by scatterometry. Therefore, this swell appears more likely to materialize. Looking further ahead, a storm-force low east of Japan will send a moderate, longer-period northwest swell toward the islands for Friday and Saturday, with surf heights potentially approaching advisory levels along exposed north and west facing shores.
Surf along south-facing shores will remain small through much of the week, with mainly background south to southwest swell expected. Another south-southwest pulse may arrive by this weekend from recent activity within our swell window east of New Zealand, providing a small increase in surf.
Surf along east-facing shores will remain relatively small and choppy through midweek, with a slight rise possible Thursday and Friday as trades strengthen.

HFO Watches/Warnings/Advisories

Small Craft Advisory from 6 AM Wednesday to 6 AM HST Thursday for Kahoolawe.
Small Craft Advisory from 6 AM Wednesday to 6 AM HST Thursday for Alenuihaha Channel, Big Island Leeward Waters, Big Island Southeast Waters, Maalaea Bay, Pailolo Channel.

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Data Courtesy of NOAA.gov