Forecast: Scattered showers along an old front with stronger winds dropping in this weekend

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - NICE to get some rain today! A band of low clouds and light showers associated with an old frontal boundary has moved over the west end of the state. The models suggest that the wet trade wind weather pattern may continue across windward and mauka areas of the western islands through Friday.

The trade winds are expected to gradually strengthen starting Thursday, and will likely become breezy from Friday through this weekend.

Drier conditions will return across most of the smaller islands this weekend, but showers may increase over the windward Big Island on Saturday.

Get 10-minute weather updates, plus your 7-day forecast on Hawaii News Now Sunrise every weekday morning from 4:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. HST. And enjoy updates on the weather throughout the evening starting at 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. and then again at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. with Meteorologist Jennifer Robbins on Hawaii News Now.

The current north-northwest swell peaked last night and will diminish into Friday as a new north swell is expected to build. This swell has the potential to bring surf to near advisory levels, but confidence is not high.

Another small to moderate northwest swell is due Sunday/Monday.

A slight increase in long-period south swell is expected the next day or so, with increased trades over the weekend supporting a slight boost in short-period wind waves along east-facing shores.