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

 

The latest update to this website was at 1250pm Wednesday afternoon HST


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

0.95  Waialae, Kauai 
0.02  Kahuku TA, Oahu
0.01  Kamalo, Molokai
0.01  Lanai 1, Lanai
0.74  Kealia Pond, Maui
3.63  Kapapala Ranch, Big Island


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

15  Moloaa Dairy, Kauai – SW
07  Kuaokala, Oahu – NE
08  Makaena, Molokai – SSE 
m   Lanai – missing
20  Na Kula, Maui – ESE
16  South Point, Big Island – NE


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. 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.


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Big Blue…click twice for largest version

 

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 Tropical Storm Lowell continues moving away to the north…Tropical Depression 14E has formed far east-southeast towards Mexico

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Variable clouds across the state 

 

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 Mostly lower level clouds in the vicinity of the islands and offshore

 

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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 Wednesday comments:  I’m at home here in upper Kula, Maui, Hawaii

440am, it’s clear to partly cloudy here at my place. My low temperature here in upper Kula was 63.5 degrees, relative humidity 86%…and calm

839am, it’s cloudy here in upper Kula, and has the feel of showers in the air.

 

Well, now that we have Tropical Storm Lowell in the rear-view mirror, so to speak, we can’t let our guard down, and in that regard, we need to keep our eyes peeled to the southeast, east-southeast and east…the breeding grounds for tropical cyclones as we know.

This morning while perusing the latest computer forecast models I see several areas that could eventually spin up into Tropical Cyclones.

Tropical Depression 14E has formed far east-southeast towards Mexico

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time of arrival graphic

NWS Weather Prediction Center: “There is some potential that the islands may be watching yet another tropical cyclone trying to approach from the east with time, as this highly active hurricane season for Hawaii and its environs continues.”

 

Hawaii’s Weather Highlights…as of Wednesday afternoon: A light and variable wind flow will persist across the islands, with east or southeasterly winds filling in across Big Island and Maui County later today. A weak band of residual moisture stretching southeast from Tropical Storm Lowell down to Big Island and portions of Maui County, may bring a renewed threat of heavy showers, while sea breezes trigger spotty afternoon showers across the rest of the state. Trade winds will slowly build over the state late tonight into Thursday, but conditions will remain somewhat wet. Drier trade wind weather is expected to develop Thursday night into early next week.

General Overview: In the wake of Lowell, broad troughing will persist over many of the Hawaiian Islands through Thursday. This troughing will allow for a greater coverage of light showers as compared to normal, as well as the possibility of rain impacting the leeward sides of the islands. What’s left of Lowell by Friday will be tracking west again, so that troughing will also slowly track west as well. In the wake of the trough during the day Friday, expect less coverage of light rains, as compared to normal, due to ridging behind the trough as the trades get reestablished.

Over the weekend, a normal trade wind pattern returns to the islands, making for the typical afternoon localized showers and dry periods at other times. The next tropical wave still looks to approach the islands Monday afternoon. The wave looks to be quite weak, so while it will be slow-moving, threatening greater-than-normal coverage of showers through Tuesday, no impacts are expected. Drier weather returns next Wednesday.

There is some potential that the islands may be watching yet another tropical cyclone trying to approach from the east in about 10 days or so, as this highly active hurricane season for Hawaii and its environs continues.

Weather Narrative…as of Wednesday afternoon: Satellite water vapor imagery shows drier air beginning to spread southward across Kauai and Oahu, and a band of remnant moisture from Tropical Storm Lowell extending southeast and then westward into Maui and the Big Island. This band of moisture with (PW) precipitable water near 2.00″ is forecast to remain in place across portions of Maui and the Big Island into this afternoon. The above normal PW and diurnal heating will aid in more robust shower activity over the Big Island interior this afternoon.

Instability remains marginal, but enough to maintain a slight chance of thunderstorms. Similar conditions are expected over Haleakala on Maui, but confidence is a bit lower. Still, a few heavier afternoon showers are possible, especially over the southwest slopes of Haleakala near Kula, Keokea and Ulupalakua. The Flood Watch remains in effect through this afternoon for the Big Island. Diurnally driven sea breezes could bring lighter showers to interior regions of the remaining smaller islands.

By Thursday, light to moderate trades will return to the entire state. The deeper moisture, now caught up in the trades, may bring an enhancement to mainly windward showers on all islands. Some of these showers may occasionally push over the terrain and onto the leeward sides. Once again, diurnally driven heavier showers are forecast to develop over Big Island`s interior and upper slopes of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa during the afternoon. With PW not be quite as high on Thursday, rainfall rates and amounts are likely to be lower.

Friday through the weekend, troughing far northeast of the state will help to ease trades back into the light to moderate range, with more typical trade showers concentrated along windward locations in the night to early morning hours.

Fire Weather:  Fire weather risk will remain low the next several days, due rather light winds and lingering moisture. Expect a slight chance of thunderstorms over the Big Island this afternoon and possibly Thursday afternoon. Temperature inversion heights are expected to remain elevated or weak.

 

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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 Wednesday afternoon: Tropical Storm Lowell is far NNW of Lihue, and is now well away from the offshore waters. Lingering moisture from Lowell will continue to produce some scattered downpours over the eastern half of the coastal and offshore waters. Light and variable winds will gradually transition to light to moderate easterly trade winds, starting this evening over the eastern half of the state, and slowly spreading westward through Thursday. By Thursday evening, we should see moderate to locally fresh trade winds across the state through the weekend.

A moderate long-period south swell has peaked, but continues to produce elevated surf along south facing shore. This long-period south swell combined with short-period southwest to west swells from Lowell, will produce advisory level surf. The long-period south swell will gradually fade through the weekend, by which point south shore surf is expected to become small.

Surf along east facing shores remains elevated from a medium-period east swell generated by former tropical cyclone Marie. With light trade winds, surf will hover near seasonal averages through Friday. The east swell will fade gradually, allowing surf to fall below seasonal averages by this weekend. Surf along north facing shores continues to receive a small bump due to Lowell. This short-period northwest swell will quickly fade, allowing surf to become tiny along north facing shores on Thursday, as Lowell weakens and tracks away from the islands.

 

>>> Highest Temperature Tuesday, September 8, 2026 – 111 degrees at Yuma, AZ


>>> Lowest Temperature Tuesday, September 8, 2026 – 15 degrees near Mackay, ID

 

Hawaiian nature | Hawaiian landscape, Tropical sea, Tropical paradise


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


Caribbean Sea: There are no active tropical cyclones


Gulf of America: There are no active tropical cyclones

 

 Northeast Pacific:

>>> Central Portion and West Portion of the East Pacific

An area of low pressure is forecast to form several hundred miles south of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula this weekend or early next week. Some gradual development is possible thereafter, and a tropical depression could form early next week while the system moves generally west-northwestward.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…0 percent
* Formation chance through 7 days…medium…40 percent

 

Central North Pacific:

Tropical Cyclone 12E (Lowell)…is located about 460 miles north-northwest of Lihue, Hawaii

LOWELL REMAINS A TROPICAL STORM AS IT MOVES NORTH-NORTHWEST

According to the NHC advisory number 52…

Lowell is moving toward the north-northwest near 13 mph. A gradual turn toward the northwest and then west is forecast today into Thursday. Then, the system’s forward motion is expected to slow later this week. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 60 mph with higher gusts. Gradual weakening is forecast during the next few days. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 255 miles rom the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 985 mb (29.09 inches)

 

Tropical Cyclone 14E…is located about 605 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja CA

TROPICAL DEPRESSION FORMS WELL SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA

The depression is moving toward the west-northwest near 9 mph, and a generally westward motion is expected over the next couple of days. Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph with higher gusts. Gradual strengthening is forecast over the next several days, and the depression could become a tropical storm tonight or Thursday. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1006 mb (29.71 inches).

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time of arrival graphic

 

>>> Well South-Southeast of the Hawaiian Islands:

An area of low pressure is forecast to form several hundred miles south-southeast of the Hawaiian Islands. Some gradual development is possible late this week into this weekend as this system moves slowly north-northwestward.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent
* Formation chance through 7 days…low…20 percent

 

Northwest Pacific Ocean:

Tropical Cyclone 22W (Krovanh) is located approximately 187 NM west-southwest of Atsugi, Japan – Final Warning

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>>> 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:  Working Together to Combat Wildfires: Building Resilient Landscapes

Wildfires in the Mediterranean region are becoming drastically more intense. The recent major fires in France, Spain and Greece show that firefighting efforts are reaching their limits. An international research team led by the Universities of Göttingen and Kassel is therefore calling for a fundamentally new approach to landscape design: in the journal iScience, the researchers demonstrate that wildfire prevention should be conceived and planned in conjunction with nature conservation, agriculture and rural development.

Using ten landscape planning initiatives in the Mediterranean region as a basis, the team investigated how these affected the risk of wildfires. The models ranged from extensive grazing with cattle, sheep and goats (to reduce combustible biomass) through to controlled burning and collaboration between the agricultural and forestry sectors, nature conservation organizations, the scientific community and the fire services.

The result: initiatives that combined different forms of land use, actively involved various social groups and continuously refined their measures proved to be particularly successful. The researchers are therefore advocating a shift in wildfire management from a predominantly reactive approach to firefighting towards a long-term, preventive approach to shaping resilient landscapes.

Read More: University of Göttingen

Image: Wildfire prevention through the revival of diverse land uses in northern Extremadura (Spain)