Marine Weather and Tide Forecast for Kapalua, HI

DISCUSSION
The satellite picture this morning remains unchanged with bands of fairly stable clouds east and southeast of the Big Island and Maui. A weak cold front approaching Kauai from the west will continue to break down the high pressure ridge north of the islands, keeping light to moderate east to southeast large scale winds in the forecast. In the absence of large scale winds, local scale island heating and cooling effects will drive daytime onshore sea breezes and offshore nighttime land breezes for terrain sheltered leeward areas of each island through Monday.

Expect some of these clouds to drift into the southeast slopes of the Big Island through Sunday, producing a few periods of showers along the Kau and Puna District slopes from the afternoon into the early evening time period through Sunday. Increased cloud and shower coverage for these southeastern slopes of the Big Island to account for this slight shower enhancement. A large band of high level cirrus clouds will continue to produce mostly cloudy skies lasting into the first half of next week.

By Monday the frontal band will dissipate near Kauai and begin to lift northwest as the ridge builds back into the region. Northeasterly to easterly trade winds will respond by strengthening into the moderate to locally breezy range through the rest of the week.
Temperature inversion heights will range from 6,000 to 7,000 feet elevation range, a good indication that passing showers will remain in the forecast, mainly affecting windward and mountain slopes of each island favoring the overnight to early morning hours.

AVIATION
Light to moderate east to east-southeast winds will prevail over the islands as a front approaches from the west. The winds will be light enough to allow land breezes through the night and daytime sea breezes. Rather dry conditions will persist, with light showers limited primarily to windward areas.

No AIRMETs are in effect and none are expected through the forecast period.

MARINE
Moderate to locally fresh east to southeast winds will continue through the weekend as a cold front stalls and diminishes near the western end of the state. This will allow localized land and sea breeze conditions to develop near sheltered coasts over the weekend, particularly over Kauai and Oahu. Fresh to strong easterly trades will return early next week as the surface ridge strengthens to the north.

Surf along north- and west-facing shores will trend up by tonight as a fresh west-northwest swell arrives from a broad gale that was located south of the Aleutians near the Date Line. This swell will peak early next week before gradually lowering into midweek.

Surf along exposed east-facing shores will remain small today, then trend up slightly by Sunday as a fresh, short- to medium- period northeast swell from a gale centered around 1200 nautical miles northeast of the state arrives. Short-period and choppy conditions are expected to return by midweek as fresh trade winds redevelop and expand upstream of the state.

Surf along south-facing shores will remain near the seasonal average into March.

HFO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
None.