1 week Ago By Kayla Lee
The latest update from National Weather Service Honolulu indicates that while heavy rains on Kauai have eased, Oahu may see afternoon showers due to increasing southeast winds. The flood watch for the region was lifted earlier tonight, but there are still concerns about possible heavy downpours over the next 24 hours, particularly in areas where heavy rain has been "brief and limited to interior Kauai where orographic forcing is maximized," as stated by the National Weather Service.A moderate to breezy southeast flow is expected as an upper ridge strengthens downstream of the current low-pressure system.
The National Weather Service reports that a convergence stream could form downstream of Molokai, which may increase rain potential for Oahu later in the day. Although some models, including the NCEP FV3 and EC, do not predict this development, it remains a possibility due to the "fairly uniform SE flow in the sfc-850mb layer, and weakly forced cyclonic flow aloft." The forecast for the rest of the week calls for shadowed winds and possible sea breezes in the afternoons, with the potential for interior clouds and showers, particularly toward the weekend as mid-level troughing may impact the area.
Airline operations are mostly clear VFR, except over Kauai, where AIRMET Sierra is in effect due to continuous rainfall. There is a heads-up for Oahu, where "isolated thunderstorms are also possible there, though activity has remained immediately west of the island for the last 24 hours or more," according to the National Weather Service Honolulu. Marine conditions include moderate southeast winds through the weekend, calming early next week, with a potential return of easterly trades by mid-week.
A small northwest swell is expected for the weekend, while southeast wind swell may cause some chop on east-facing shores. Overall, surf conditions are quiet, and the "long period SSW swell will slowly decline today through the remainder of the week.".
