3 days Ago By Marc Suzuki
Honolulu residents can expect a week mixed with light winds, potential afternoon thunderstorms, and a gradual shift back to breezy trade winds, according to the National Weather Service in Honolulu. The NWS has forecasted locally heavy showers across the Hawaiian islands, with the chance of thunder rumbling through the afternoons. Overnight land breezes are anticipated to push most of the showers offshore or keep them near the coast, offering a brief respite from daytime precipitation.
Weather patterns show a weak trough situated approximately 100 miles northwest of Kauai, promising to bring increased moisture and instability moving into the first half of the week. Residents are advised to prepare for "locally heavy downpours and a few rumbles of thunder," particularly in the afternoons when sea breezes pick up, the NWS reported. The gradual moistening of the airmass and an upper level disturbance diving southward heighten the chances for heavier rainfall Monday and Tuesday.
A return to more typical trades is in the forecast mid-week, with the trade winds strengthening by Friday and carrying through to the weekend. This shift will signal the end of unsettled weather and the re-emergence of mainly windward and mauka showers. AIRMET SIERRA remains active, signaling temporary mountain obscurations over Oahu for aviators, cautioning against reduced ceilings and visibility.
In terms of ocean conditions, a low pressure system weakening the high pressure ridge spells variability for mariners. "A diffuse trough near the island of Kauai may bring some heavier showers and thunderstorms to the nearby coastal and offshore waters," as per the NWS. This trough is anticipated to head northeast in the coming days, keeping the threat of rougher seas at bay.
Light and variable winds are forecast to continue until a high pressure system reestablishes the trades mid-week.Surf conditions are also set to change with a waning northwest swell giving way to a north-northwest swell expected by Thursday, which could elevate surf to advisory levels. Beachgoers can enjoy the consistent small south swells until a marked increase arrives later in the week.
Those favoring east facing shores will find conditions maintained at or below seasonal norms thanks to a weaker trade wind flow..
