RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM People dashed across the intersection of Seaside and Kalakaua avenues in Waikiki yesterday as heavy rain fell.

Rain and wind expected to ease

The weather system causing the wet and windy weather this week is slowly moving away from the islands but still could bring light showers during tomorrow's marathon, the National Weather Service said.

"Sunday will be the transition day," said Vladimir Ryshko, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. "We're expecting a fair amount of clearing by then. The heavy showers will be tapering off, but there will still be a few showers in the vicinity (of east Oahu)."

Ryshko said it will be humid with fairly light winds.

Today the weather system will bring rain as it slowly pulls away from the islands.

"It should be a bit less intense in the frequency of showers," said Bob Burke, National Weather Service meteorologist, adding that the atmosphere will still be unstable. "There's still going to be a few locally heavy showers around, but we are expecting a slow, gradual improvement."

Things will begin to dry out tomorrow, with some sunshine and traditional tradewind weather patterns appearing Monday. Rain might fall in windward and mauka areas with misty showers in Honolulu, Burke said.

The low-pressure system that caused this week's bleak weather was moving to the north-northeast at about 5 mph. "It'll probably eventually pick up, moving much faster away tomorrow," Burke said.

The low pressure combined with moisture in the air to bring the heavy rain and combined with a cold front to produce strong winds across the state from Tuesday to Thursday. On Wednesday, storm winds reached nearly 70 mph at Wheeler Airfield on Oahu.

The cold front stalled near the Big Island, while the parent low stalled near Kauai. During an 80-hour period ending Friday, about 13 inches of rain fell in Kokee on Kauai. On Oahu about 7 inches fell near Schofield Firebreak, and 6 inches at Wilson Tunnel.

On the Weather Service Web site yesterday, a satellite loop showed a rotating low centered about 200 miles north of Kauai, drawing moisture across the state.

Forecasters see no major storm systems coming next week.

Burke added, "We see ... pretty much a tradewind pattern for most of the week."