First Alert Forecast: Strong trade winds return to the islands

News admin August 1, 2026 0 Comments

First Alert Forecast: Strong trade winds return to the islands

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – While it may be too windy for kite flying, the brisk trade winds offer a welcome relief after days of hot, humid weather. Expect sunshine today with occasional passing clouds and minimal rainfall.

View the latest weather conditions here.

Sunshine and passing clouds accompanied by strong winds

A strong high-pressure system north of the islands strengthened slightly this morning, bringing very windy conditions to mountains and ridges—particularly across Maui County and the Big Island. Downslope winds will remain at their strongest through this afternoon.

Winds expected to ease tomorrow with continued sunshine

As the high-pressure system moves east tomorrow, the pressure gradient driving these strong winds will begin to relax. Trade winds will return to moderate summer levels as overall conditions turn drier, bringing fewer windward and mountain showers while leeward areas remain dry.

Outlook for early to mid-next week

Trade winds will weaken further early next week as Tropical Storm Genevieve moves northward far to the west, disrupting the local wind flow. However, moisture from the system will track into the area, bringing scattered showers to windward and mountain slopes. Weather models also indicate a tropical upper-level trough may drift near Kauai by mid-week, drawing deeper moisture across the state. This setup could lead to increased cloud cover and moderate to heavy showers, especially for the western islands.

Marine and surf outlook

A Small Craft Advisory remains in effect for all coastal waters. High surf and strong winds will produce choppy seas, with wave heights climbing over 10 feet in some channels.

The current south swell will continue to decline today. Meanwhile, a small-to-medium east swell generated by Tropical Storm Genevieve in the East Pacific, combined with strong wind-driven trade seas, is keeping surf elevated along east-facing shores. East-facing beaches will see the largest surf of the weekend before gradually subsiding over the next several days.

North and west-facing shores will remain mostly flat, with only minor wrap from the fading south swell on selective western exposures.

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.