HONOLULU (KHON2) - A high far north of the main Hawaiian Islands is driving moderate to breezy trade winds across local waters this afternoon. Satellite loop shows scattered to patchy broken low clouds embedded within this flow concentrating across windward and mauka sections of most islands. Leeward areas tend to have clearer skies, along with waters lee of the islands. However, cloud cover increased dramatically across Kona and Kau shores and slopes of the Big Island since this morning, thanks to a combination of return flow and daytime heating. Leeward Big Island cloud cover will decrease overnight as evening cooling sets in. Radar shows scattered to numerous showers moving into windward areas, with a few of these showers pushing leeward. Models show the high to our north will shift east and merge with a new building high to the distant northeast of the islands by late Sunday. This will keep the pressure gradient across the islands sufficiently steep to support breezy trade winds through the period. Trades could become quite strong late next week as the high moves southward and closer to the island chain. Expect a typical trade wind weather pattern for the next week or so, with embedded bands of low clouds and showers moving through. Rainfall will favor windward slopes and coasts, particularly at night and during the early morning hours, with a few showers reaching leeward areas at times as well. Small Craft Advisory until 6 PM HST Tuesday for Maalaea Bay, Pailolo Channel, Alenuihaha Channel, Big Island Leeward Waters, Big Island Southeast Waters.