The month of November kicks off with a gradual strengthening of trades today, forecasters said, with mostly dry conditions for the Hawaiian Islands and a few scattered showers for windward and leeward Kauai.

The National Weather Service said trades will strengthen tonight and Tuesday, while windward showers are expected to increase first over the eastern islands, and later over central portions of the state.

Today’s forecast includes various scattered and isolated showers, highsfrom 85 to 90 during the day, and lows from 68 to 73 tonight. Trades range from 10 to 15 mph through tonight.

Surf is rising on north facing shores due to a new, north to northwest swell steadily filling in across the western half of the state early this morning.

Forecasters say surf at 8 to 12 feet will continue to build this morning, and is expected to peak later today to 10 to 14 feet as the swell fills in tonight, and produces north-facing surf that will top out just under high surf advisory levels going into Tuesday.

These swells will lower down back to 8 to 12 feet late Tuesday into Wednesday, only to be followed by a similarly-sized swell Wednesday night into Thursday.

Surf on west facing shores is expected to rise from 4 to 6 feet this morning to 6 to 10 feet this afternoon, then lower back to 4 to 6 feet on Tuesday.

Surf on south facing shores rises from 1 to 3 feet this morning to 2 to 4 feet this afternoon, and 3 to 5 feet Tuesday afternoon. Surf on east facing shores remains low at 1 to 3 feet through Tuesday.

Moderate trades are expected to hold in place tonight and Tuesday, but may begin to ease Tuesday night due to a cold front approaching from the northwest. Fairly showery conditions are expected Tuesday night.

In a reversal of a string of record highs set in October, mostly in Kahului and Hilo, a record low of 65 degrees was set at Lihue on Friday, breaking the old record of 67 set for that day in 1964.