textproduct: Honolulu

SYNOPSIS

Breezy to locally windy trades will weaken slightly through Monday, then hold at moderate strengthen through the remainder of the week. Showers will favor windward and mauka areas, with little rainfall over most leeward sections.

DISCUSSION

Winds have remained elevated at advisory levels through the night in the windiest spots of the Maui County and the Big Island. Various models suggests winds will continue to be elevated today, so have extended the Wind Advisory through the day. A slight downward trend is expected today.

A 1033 mb high remains far north of the islands, and is driving strong trade winds to the region. The high has weakened a bit overnight and is more weakening is expected through the weekend. Although winds are a little weaker, they continue at advisory levels, and thus the Wind Advisory was extended today.

The high pressure system will remain in place to the far north of the islands, but will gradually weaken through the weekend. This in turn will cause our local winds to slowly subside, returning to moderate levels Tuesday. A stable airmass over the islands will limit shower activity, with showers focused over the typical windward and mauka areas, as well as over the Kona slopes of the Big Island each afternoon. Other leeward sections should see little rainfall.

Winds will weaken a bit more Tuesday to moderate levels, with more typical trade wind showers riding in on the trades.

AVIATION

Elevated trades will continue across most sites today, however some weakening is expected heading into the weekend. Broadly expecting VFR conditions across most sites, however windward sites may see intermittent shower activity, leading to localized MVFR and even IFR conditions at times.

AIRMET Sierra remains in effect for mountain obscuration across windward Big Island, with conditions expected to improve by late this morning.

AIRMET Tango also remains in effect for all islands due to low level turbulence over and downwind of terrain, which is expected to remain in place so long as trade winds continue to be amplified.

MARINE

A strong high pressure ridge will remain north of the Hawaiian Islands maintaining strong to near gale force winds through Saturday. The high will begin a weakening trend on Saturday before shifting northeast of the state early next week. Trade winds will continue to blow across the Hawaii region through the end of next week.

The Gale Warnings for the Pailolo and Alenuihaha Channels, and Maalaea Bay were cancelled this morning and replaced by a Small Craft Advisory (SCA) covering all Hawaiian Coastal Waters. This SCA was also extended in time through early Sunday morning with advisory conditions likely continuing for windier waters into the first half of next week.

A high surf advisory (HSA) was extended in time for all east facing shores through Saturday afternoon due to continued strong trade winds blowing through a long upstream fetch area. A combination of wind waves and easterly swell will keep similar surf heights at least through Saturday. This HSA may drop just below advisory thresholds by Saturday night or Sunday.

Surf along north facing shores will remain small today. The next small north-northwest (330 degree) swell will move into the Hawaii region later today, slowly increasing surf heights along north and west facing shores through the weekend.

A series of small, long period south swells will support near average surf along south facing shores over the next several days.

HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

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

Wind Advisory until 6 PM HST this evening for Big Island North- Big Island South-Big Island Southeast-Kahoolawe-Kohala-Lanai Leeward-Lanai Mauka-Lanai South-Lanai Windward-Maui Central Valley North-Maui Central Valley South-Maui Leeward West-Maui Windward West-Molokai Leeward South-Molokai North-Molokai Southeast-Molokai West-Molokai Windward-South Haleakala.

Small Craft Advisory until 6 AM HST Sunday for Alenuihaha Channel-Big Island Leeward Waters-Big Island Southeast Waters- Big Island Windward Waters-Kaiwi Channel-Kauai Channel-Kauai Leeward Waters-Kauai Northwest Waters-Kauai Windward Waters- Maalaea Bay-Maui County Leeward Waters-Maui County Windward Waters-Oahu Leeward Waters-Oahu Windward Waters-Pailolo Channel.