Tradewinds making a comeback today | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

The tradewinds are expected to make a comeback today, strengthen to moderate to locally breezy levels tomorrow, forecasters said, and remain through the weekend.

The National Weather Service said the trades will gradually strengthen, bringing rainfall over the windward side, while high clouds continue to stream overhead.

Today’s forecast is mostly cloudy, with scattered showers and highs from 86 to 91 degrees Fahrenheit. Lows tonight range from 67 to 72 degrees.

The easterly trades will remain around 15 mph through tonight, but ramp up to between 10 to 20 mph Thursday through Sunday. Afternoon clouds and showers are expected over the leeward side of Hawaii island each afternoon.

On the surf front, forecasters said the expected north-northwest swell is slow to arrive, but that it is likely to reach the north and west shores late this afternoon and tonight, then peak Thursday.

Surf will remain low today — 1 to 3 feet along the north side, then 3 to 5 feet Thursday, and 2 feet or less on the west side, then 2 to 4 feet Thursday.

Surf along east shores will be 1 to 3 feet today, then 2 to 4 feet Thursday.

Surf along south shores will remain 2 to 4 feet through Thursday. A series of small south-southwest and south-southeast swells will maintain summer average surf along south shores through the weekend.

Typical tradewind weather will remain from Thursday through the weekend, forecasters said, with locally breezy trades driven by surface high pressure settling several hundred miles north of the state.

A small craft advisory has been issued for Maalaea Bay, Pailolo and Alenuihaha channels, and leeward and southeast Hawaii island waters, in effect from noon today to 6 p.m. Thursday.