Glenn James
Hawaii Weather Today
Creator, Author, and Administrator for 30 years

 

The latest update to this website was at 437pm Thursday afternoon HST


Here are the latest 24-hour precipitation totals (inches) for each of the islands Thursday afternoon: 

0.03  Kapahi, Kauai
0.03  Poamoho RG 1, Oahu
0.00  Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.22  West Wailuaiki, Maui
0.55  Kawainui Stream, Big Island


The following numbers represent the strongest wind gusts (mph) Thursday afternoon: 

14  Lawai, Kauai – E 
12  Kuaokala, Oahu – SW
10  Kalae, Molokai – NNE
m   Lanai – missing
08  Kealia Ponds, Maui – NE
13  Aipaloa, Big Island – SSW


Hawaii’s Mountains – Here’s a link to the live webcam on the summit of our tallest mountain Mauna Kea (~13,800 feet high) on the Big Island of Hawaii. Here’s the webcam for the (~10,023 feet high) Haleakala Crater on Maui (out of operation). These webcams are available during the daylight hours here in the islands, and at night whenever there’s a big moon shining down. Also, at night you will be able to see the stars, and the sunrise and sunset too…depending upon weather conditions.


https://weather.gc.ca/data/satellite/goes_gwdisk11_1070_100.jpg

Big Blue…click twice for largest version

 

https://cdn.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES18/ABI/SECTOR/tpw/13/GOES18-TPW-13-900x540.gif

   Tropical cyclone 01C (Lala) far northwest…moving further away / Tropical Cyclone 02C east-southeast

 

https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/CP01/refresh/CP012026_5day_cone+png/150554_5day_cone.png

 

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An area of low pressure is passing by to our north…the tail of this trough will bring showers into the island chain 

 

https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/standard/HAWAII_loop.gif

https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/standard/PHKI_loop.gif

https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/standard/PHKM_loop.gif

Localized showers 

 

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Please open this link to see details on any current Watches, Warnings and Advisories noted above




~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

 

Glenn’s Thursday comments:  I’m at home here in upper Kula, Maui, Hawaii

434am, it’s clear here at my place here in Kula with a low temperature of 56.5 degrees, and the relative humidity is 82%

955am, after a very clear start to the morning, cumulus clouds are gathering rather quickly, although it’s still clear to partly cloudy at the time of this writing.

1224pm, it’s turned cloudy here in upper Kula, and we just had our first brief light shower.

130pm, the clouds are thickening up here in Kula, and we just had our second light shower of the day.

250pm, cloudy here in Kula with light showers falling.

 

Hawaii’s Weather Highlights…as of Thursday afternoon: Trades remain weak through Friday, as a trough moves by to the north of the islands. Tropical Depression 02C has formed southeast of Hawaii, and is forecast to track south of the area early next week, bringing strengthening winds and potential for heavy rainfall, especially to the eastern end of the state.

Weather Narrative..as of Thursday afternoon: Surface troughing associated with tropical remnants positioned immediately north of the Hawaiian islands, will advance westward during the next 24 hours. This will substantially weaken the gradient leading to very light winds, expanding sea breezes, and muggy weather. A few afternoon showers over leeward areas will be possible today and tomorrow, with light trades delivering limited showers windward overnight.

NHC maintains a track well south of the islands for Tropical Depression 02C, though even this track is firmly on the northern edge of the guidance envelope. Confidence is increasing that the primary impact from this system will be strengthening trade winds and heavy rain potential over the southeast and portions of windward Big Island. At this time, it appears that breezy trades return Saturday into Sunday as resident surface troughing lifts away from the area, and TD 02C lifts northwest out of the deep tropics.

Trades then strengthen considerably as the gradient response to the close proximity of the tropical system and 1022mb high pressure anchored along 30N. Sunday may be quite windy over the eastern end of the state, with strong trades spreading westward to the remainder of the state Sunday night through Monday. Wind headlines are probable during this time, and a High Wind Watch for the windier areas of Maui County and the Big Island cannot be ruled out It is not out of the question that a portion of the area may instead be under tropical watches/warnings during this time…this remains to be seen.

The lower latitude origin of TD 02C appears it will lend itself to a more robust plume of trailing moisture extending from the NE side of the system well to the SE. This establishes a rather broad area of potential heavy rain that could impact the Big Island mainly Sunday and Sunday night, but potentially continuing through Monday, if the system tracks further north. The rainfall forecast remains highly track dependent, and any northward adjustment will increase the probability and magnitude of heavy rain for the Big Island.

At this time, the official forecast has been trended downward to account for the latest trends, but still allows for around 10″ of rainfall, locally higher, over the Puna and Kau Districts and, to a lesser extent, the Hilo Districts of the Big Island. Rainfall over the smaller islands is considerably less certain, with a more northerly track potentially producing a widespread 1-4″, while a more southerly track may leave the islands relatively dry, and in a more typical windy trade wind type of pattern. Stable, breezy trades establish for the remainder of next week, as the tropical system departs and governing high pressure centered along 30N remains in place.

 

https://www.weather.gov/images/hfo/graphics/npac.gif


Here’s a near real-time Wind Profile of the Pacific Ocean – along with a Closer View of the islands / Here’s the latest Weather Map / Looping Surface Precipitation…through the next 8-days / Vog Map

 

Marine Conditions…as of Thursday afternoon: A trough just northeast of the islands will track northwestward across the offshore waters, leading to a period of light and variable winds for most waters through tonight. By late Friday, moderate to locally fresh trades will begin to build back into the region as the trough exits to the northwest, high pressure drifts southward closer to the island chain, and Tropical Depression Two-C nears the state from the southeast. The forecast for this weekend will depend on the track of this tropical cyclone, but overall the trade winds are expected to strengthen.

Surf along south facing shores will remain slightly below average through at least Friday morning. A long period south-southwest swell generated from gales just south and east of New Zealand is beginning to trickle in this afternoon, and is expected to provide a slight bump in surf heights, possibly becoming near average by Saturday.

Surf along east-facing shores remains below average with weak trades, then is expected to build this weekend as the trades restrengthen. Surf along east- and south-facing shores will be compounded by a southeast swell generated by Tropical Depression Two-C that will build through Sunday and then become south, then southwest through early next week. This short-period tropical swell could cause surf to approach advisory levels along east facing shores of the Big Island Saturday night into Sunday, though forecast confidence is on the lower side as the wind field with this tropical cyclone is expected to be relatively small and the forecast track may shift slightly.

North facing shores will remain tiny through Friday, with a slight bump from Lala swell possible this weekend.

 

>>> Highest Temperature Thursday, August 20, 2026 – 121 degrees at Stovepipe Wells, CA


>>> Lowest Temperature Thursday, August 20, 2026 – 32 degrees at Stanley, ID

 

95,000+ Hawaii Scenic Stock Photos, Pictures & Royalty-Free Images - iStock


World-wide Tropical Cyclone Activity

 


>>> Here’s a link to the latest Pacific Disaster Center’s Weather Wall



>>> Atlantic Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones

Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 7 days.

>>> Caribbean Sea: There are no active tropical cyclones

Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 7 days.

>>> Gulf of America: There are no active tropical cyclones

Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 7 days.

 

Northeast Pacific: There are no active tropical cyclones

>>> South-southwest of Mexico:

A tropical wave located a few hundred miles south of the coast of southern Mexico is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms. Environmental conditions appear favorable for gradual development, and a tropical depression is likely to form this weekend while the system moves generally west-northwestward, remaining well offshore of Mexico.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…20 percent
* Formation chance through 7 days…high…80 percent

 

>>> Central East Pacific:

A broad area of low pressure associated with a tropical wave is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms several hundred miles south of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula. Environmental conditions are forecast to be marginally favorable for development over the weekend as the system moves westward or west-northwestward at 5 to 10 mph.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…20 percent 
* Formation chance through 7 days…medium…40 percent 

 

Central North Pacific:

Tropical Cyclone 01C (Lala)…is located about 115 miles west-southwest of Maro Reef

HURRICANE CONDITIONS CONTINUE ACROSS THE PAPAHANAUMOKUAKEA MARINE NATIONAL MONUMENT BETWEEN LISIANSKI ISLAND AND MARO REEF

According to the NHC advisory number 34…

Lala is moving toward the north near 10 mph (17 km/h). A turn toward the north is forecast today, with a northwestward motion expected by this weekend. On the forecast track, the center of Lala will continue to traverse the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument for the next couple of days. Maximum sustained winds are near 90 mph with higher gusts. Some gradual weakening is expected during the next couple of days, but Lala is forecast to remain a hurricane through this weekend. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles. The estimated minimum central pressure is 973 mb (28.74 inches).

 

Tropical Cyclone 02C…is located about 90 miles east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii

TROPICAL DEPRESSION COULD BRING HEAVY RAINFALL TO PORTIONS OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS THIS WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK

According to the NHC advisory number 2…

The depression is moving toward the west-northwest near 15 mph and this general motion is expected during the next few days. On the forecast track, the center of the system is expected to pass near or south of the Big Island of Hawaii this weekend. Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph with higher gusts. Gradual strengthening is forecast, and the depression could become a tropical storm later today. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1006 mb (29.71 inches).

cone graphic

 

>>> Northwest Pacific Ocean: 

https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/products/abpwsair.jpg

 

Tropical Cyclone 17W (Saudel)…is located approximately 238 NM east-southeast of Saipan

https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/products/wp1726.gif

 

>>> Southwest Pacific Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones

>>> North and South Indian Oceans / Arabian Sea: There are no active tropical cyclones

Here’s the link to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC)



Interesting: Antarctica’s Brief Rebound was Caused by Climate Variability, Not a ‘New Normal’

Between 2021 and 2023, Antarctica appeared to be growing. Heavy snowfall fueled by wetter weather caused parts of the continent to gain mass, leading some to question whether climate change is really causing the ice to melt. However, a new study shows that the precipitation increase was an anomaly related to extra warm tropical ocean temperatures, not part of a long term trend.

Antarctica has been “shrinking” for decades as warm water melts ice from below and sends large chunks crashing into the ocean. Annual precipitation can’t keep up with the rate of melt, causing a net mass loss. However, the snow that fell on East Antarctica, a vast area that contains nearly 80% of Earth’s land bound ice, added mass faster than the ice was melting. Although mass loss continued in West Antarctica, the general trend seemed encouraging.

“In the early 2020s, there was an exceptional amount of snowfall over parts of Antarctica. Because Antarctica is so big, it doesn’t take that much extra snow thickness to counter the loss of ice from the edges of the ice sheet, which led to the perception that the loss of ice is slowing down,” said co-author Eric Steig, a UW professor of Earth and space sciences.

Read More: University of Washington

Image: Aerial view of the Totten Ice Shelf during the 61st Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition in late 2019. Totten contributes to ice loss in East Antarctica, but this was offset by the increased snowfall from 2021 to 2023.