Honolulu locals can expect to maintain their sunglasses and sun hats handy through the mid-week, as a dry and stable air mass lingers around the Islands. According to the National Weather Service in Honolulu, a gentle east-southeast wind flow is set to keep the climate mild through Tuesday, with a subtle shift to more southerly winds predicted as the week progresses. This weather pattern means that the islands will see clouds and potential light showers focusing on windward and mauka regions, along with afternoon seabreezes kicking up some cloud cover and showers in leeward areas. Come nightfall, land breezes are expected to sweep away cloudiness in those leeward and interior localities.
For those looking to understand the mechanics behind the anticipated weather, a surface ridge centered far northeast of Hawaii is the primary influencer. The latest data appears to show light to moderate east-southeast trades, which, coupled with mid-level ridging moving in from the west, will allow conditions to stay dry and stable. High-pressure influences will weaken tonight and deviate south through Tuesday, “allowing the local pressure gradient to relax, thus weaken winds,” reports the NWS. While the western half of the state gears up to experience a land/sea breeze regime dominance, the east is predicted to see more of a hybrid trade wind and land/sea breeze pattern.
As the week edges toward hump day, the NWS forecasts winds to turn more southerly in the west while maintaining an east-southeast direction in the east, in preparation for an approaching front. Despite a slight moistening of the boundary layer and slightly higher dew points, strengthening mid-level ridging should mean mostly dry and stable weather will be the status quo through to midweek…