First Alert Forecast: Feeling the heat and more summer south swells

News admin June 18, 2026 0 Comments

First Alert Forecast: Feeling the heat and more summer south swells

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A quieter summer pattern is settling in across the islands for the rest of the week. Trade winds have eased, allowing local sea breezes to take over during the afternoons and land breezes overnight. That means the greatest chance for clouds and a few showers will be over interior and mountain areas each afternoon, while many coastal locations start the day with sunshine.

A weak trough moving up the island chain is bringing a boost in moisture, especially to the Big Island today and Maui later today into tonight. As the trough drifts northward and gradually weakens, each island could see a brief uptick in showers before conditions begin drying out again. Most rainfall will be light, but a few heavier showers are possible over windward slopes and higher terrain.

For Oahu and Kauai, expect a mix of sunshine and clouds with the best chance for afternoon showers developing over central and interior sections. Windward communities may still see a few passing showers, but widespread rain is not expected.

The good news for holiday plans is that no major weather impacts are expected through the long weekend. Whether you’re heading to the beach, firing up the grill, or celebrating dads across the islands, most outdoor activities should be in good shape. Just keep an eye out for a few afternoon clouds and brief showers if you’re spending time near the mountains or interior communities.

Looking ahead to the weekend and into the Father’s Day holiday, winds briefly turn more east-southeasterly on Saturday before moderate trade winds return late Sunday and continue into early next week. Once the trades strengthen, showers will shift back toward the usual windward and mauka areas, while leeward locations become drier and sunnier.

At the beaches, south shore surf remains the main attraction. The recent large swell is slowly fading, but another south-southwest swell arriving tonight could push surf back near advisory levels on Thursday. South shore surfers should find plenty of waves through the holiday weekend, with surf gradually easing and settling closer to seasonal averages by Father’s Day.

East shore surf stays relatively small, while north shore beaches remain quiet with typical summertime conditions.

Boaters can expect generally gentle to moderate winds through the next several days, though locally higher winds and reduced visibility are possible near showers, especially around Big Island and Maui waters. Trade winds are expected to strengthen again by the second half of the weekend and early next week.

View the latest weather conditions here.

Download the HNN Weather app from the Apple App Store or Google Play for the latest updates from your First Alert Weather Team: chief meteorologist Jennifer Robbins, meteorologist Drew Davis, and weather anchors Guy Hagi, Ben Gutierrez, and Billy V.