Lighter winds, more showers in new week’s forecast

HONOLULU (KHON2) – Water vapor satellite imagery this afternoon shows a weakening upper-level low just west of Kauai, drifting slowly eastward.

A portion of the subtropical jet stream remains near the islands this afternoon, but is forecast to weaken over the next day or so.

Winds at the Big Island Summits have been borderline advisory level today, but the overall trend this afternoon has been down.

Therefore, the Wind Advisory for the summits has been cancelled.

At the surface and lower elevations, a 1029 mb high remains far north of the island chain and will continue to produce breezy easterly trade winds across the state into Monday.

By Monday afternoon, trade wind speeds transition to more moderate levels as the high moves off to the east.

Expect moderate easterly trade winds to continue through the rest of the week.

Current visible satellite and radar imagery show scattered low clouds and showers moving into windward areas on the trades, with some showers making it over to leeward sides at times.

Wetter than normal conditions remain in the forecast for all islands through much of this week.

Enhanced showers will continue through Monday night as the weakening upper level disturbance swings through the island chain from west to east.

Showers will be heaviest and most widespread over windward areas and during the overnight and early morning hours.

There also appears to be enough instability around on Monday for some convective activity, so have added a slight chance of thunderstorms over interior Big Island for Monday afternoon.

While Tuesday will trend slightly drier, more wet trade wind weather is in store Wednesday through Friday, as the remnant moisture from an old East Pacific cold front drifts into the islands.

Another upper-level trough sweeping in from the north on Thursday and Friday will likely keep enhanced showers in the forecast into next weekend.