textproduct: Honolulu

SYNOPSIS

Fausto has been downgraded to a post tropical remnant low and will continue to pass Hawaii to the north resulting in light winds and muggy conditions. Trades will quickly fill in tonight through early need week.

SHORT TERM UPDATE

The National Hurricane Center issued the last advisory for Fausto as it has weakened to a remnant low roughly 160 miles north of Molokai. This remnant low will continue to weaken while tracking west- northwest, north of the state today, generating light and variable winds across the state. A trailing cloud band with embedded light to moderate showers is currently moving from east to west across the eastern coast of the Big Island. Elsewhere, low level bands of scattered clouds with isolated light showers continue to move in along windward. Rainfall rates are less than .1 inches per hour. Forecast remains on track for the chances of clouds and showers to increase this afternoon for interior areas and upslope mountain ranges as seabreezes develop this afternoon under a light wind regime. Given ample lingering moisture through today, some showers could become locally heavy.

PREV DISCUSSION

Issued at 336 AM HST Wed Jul 29 2026 Tropical Depression Fausto will pass Hawaii to the north today and weaken to a remnant low or trough. Indirect influence of the wind will keep light sea breezes across the islands with muggy and warm conditions today. Radar shows isolated windward showers across Oahu and Molokai this morning, but little rainfall elsewhere. Expect mostly dry conditions through the morning until sea breezes bring interior clouds and showers this afternoon. Confidence in the flooding threat from Fausto remains low but localized heavy showers can not be ruled out. Remnants of Fausto will move away tonight with breezy southeast winds filling in east to west.

Thursday into next week, a strong high will develop far northeast of the state allowing breezy to locally strong winds to return. Expect a more typical tradewind pattern with showers focused mainly along windward and mauka areas. Drier air will also filter allowing dewpoints to dip below 70 degrees by Friday. Hurricane Genevieve will disrupt the trade wind flow on Tuesday as it passes by well the northeast.

AVIATION

Winds will be variable today as the remnant circulation of former TC Fausto passes a couple hundred miles north of the islands. Decreasing northerly winds are still pushing MVFR ceilings onto northern and windward slopes from Maui to Kauai, where AIRMET Sierra is in place for mountain obscuration. The AIRMET will likely be dropped for at least Maui and Molokai as the day progresses. Expect widespread sea breezes to produce isolated heavy showers and areas of MVFR ceilings over all islands today. Trades return tomorrow.

MARINE

Variable to light northerly winds today in response to Post- Tropical Cyclone Fausto passing north of the islands. Trades gradually build from east to west in its wake. Moderate to fresh ESE trades become strong Friday through the weekend, eventually warranting a Small Craft Advisory for winds, potentially as early as tomorrow for the windier waters of Maui County and the Big Island.

Nearshore PacIOOS buoys indicate a rapid decline in swell energy from the weakening Post Tropical Cyclone Fausto along E facing shores. The High Surf Advisory remains in effect through this afternoon with the expectation that surf will gradually fall below the advisory threshold during the next several hours. A small bump in short to medium period NE and N will arrive as Post-Trop Cyclone Fausto advances westward north of the islands providing small surf along N facing shores. Flat to tiny surf then returns by Thursday. Surf along E shores will trend up Friday into the weekend due to a combination of building short period trade wind swell and renewed medium to long period E swell, this time emanating from Hurricane Genevieve in the E Pac.

A medium period S swell building today and tonight will push S shore surf toward the summer average (5-6ft) for Thursday. Surf then fades gradually through the weekend while a mix of small S swells maintains surf slightly below the seasonal average.

HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

High Surf Advisory until 6 PM HST this evening for Big Island East-Big Island North-Big Island Southeast-East Honolulu-Kauai East-Kipahulu-Koolau Windward-Maui Windward West-Molokai Southeast-Molokai Windward-Olomana-Windward Haleakala.