KAHULUI — All of the islands remained in the "abnormally dry" category this week, although an increase in trade wind showers on the windward slopes may help to ease the situation in county watersheds, The Maui News reported.

The U.S. Drought Monitor, issued weekly by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, showed Maui County sliding into an abnormally dry status beginning the week of March 4 and continuing for the next two weeks.

Since March 17, though, rain gauges in two key watersheds have recorded significant rainfall from trade showers on the upper slopes.

The West Wailua Iki gauge recorded more than 8 inches of rain from March 15 through Wednesday, while the Puu Kukui rain gauge on the West Maui summit recorded more than 12 inches over the same period.

A new weekly Drought Monitor summary will be issued today and is available at www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html.

For the week as a whole, a high-pressure system northeast of the islands remained in place and is expected to continue to generate moderate to strong trade winds across Maui County, keeping the skies mostly clear, especially over leeward shorelines

Winds on Wednesday were blowing 13 to 16 mph, with gusts up to 25 mph in Kahului.

The National Weather Service said the air mass across the islands remained stable, with warming at midlevels of the atmosphere around Maui County resulting in only a low chance of showers.

With the continuing trades tending to become more gusty through the day, the weather service said the islands can "still expect the garden variety windward and mountain scattered showers."

The trades also are generating a small easterly swell, with even stronger winds over the weekend leading to higher surf on east-facing shorelines.

A small northwest swell is also boosting surf on north and west shorelines, and should continue through today but diminish Friday, the weather service said.

For more Maui news, visit The Maui News.