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

 

The latest update to this website was at 747pm Friday evening HST


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

1.03  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.41  Manoa Lyon Arboretum, Oahu
0.15  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.71  West Wailuaiki, Maui
0.62  Honolii Stream, Big Island


The following numbers represent the strongest wind gusts (mph) Friday evening: 

29  Port Allen, Kauai – E
35  Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu – E
33  Molokai AP, Molokai – NE
23  Lanai 1, Lanai – NE
38  Kahului AP, Maui – NE
33  Waikoloa 2, 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.

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

Cold front far northwest…thunderstorms far south 

 

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Variable low clouds…high cirrus clouds south (moving into the state locally from the west)

 

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 

 

https://www.weather.gov/wwamap/png/hfo.png

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




~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

 

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

447am, it’s clear here in upper Kula with calm winds, and a low temperature at my place of 53.5 degrees…with the relative humidity 80%

1010am, as usual with the trade winds blowing, and the daytime heating starting to take effect, we’re finding clouds developing over the island of Maui.

318pm, it’s partly cloudy although it’s mostly cloudy is some areas, although rainfall is limited to the windward sides locally.

750pm, the afternoon clouds are slow to clear thus far, and so at the time of this writing the temperature has only dropped to 66.7 degrees

 

>>> Highest Temperature Friday, June 26, 2026 – 114 at Death Valley, CA
>>> Lowest Temperature Friday, June 26, 2026 – 32 degrees at Peter Sinks, UT

 

Hawaii’s Weather Highlights…as of Friday evening: Breezy trades are expected to slightly decrease on Sunday, and remain at moderate to locally breezy speeds through early next week. Light passing showers will focus mostly over windward and mountain areas during the night time and early morning hours. Occasional leeward showers will be possible. Wetter trade wind conditions are expected next week, as areas of enhanced moisture are forecast to move through the islands starting as early as Sunday night.

Weather Commentary…as of Friday evening: Fairly typical summer time trade wind weather is expected through the weekend, with light passing showers riding in with our moderate to breezy trade winds. As the high far north of the state drifts further northeast, we should see a slight decrease of our trade winds on Sunday. Soundings from Hilo and Lihue also show our typical trade wind weather with the trade wind inversion at roughly 6,500 feet and precipitable water values of around 1.2 inches.

By next week, models indicate a few batches of enhanced moisture and higher dewpoint temperatures arriving, boosting shower chances. GFS model data on Monday currently shows a plume of moisture, with a depth up to 10,000 ft passing through the islands. While the upper level dynamics remain very weak, the enhanced moisture combined with orographic lifting, should allow for some brief periods of moderate showers over windward and mountain areas Sunday night into Monday.

Then Tuesday into Wednesday, a plume of deeper moisture arrives. We should see more widespread trade wind showers and more frequent leeward spillover showers. Areas that do not see frequent showers will be hot and muggy. While the upper level dynamics do not look great either on the second plume of moisture, there is an upper level low far west of the state, that could enhance precipitation if the upper low gets close enough to the state. Nonetheless, with the abundant moisture expected by the middle of next week, some brief heavy showers will be possible.

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 Friday evening: High pressure far north of the state will gradually shift further northeast through the weekend then remain nearly stationary through early next week. This will allow moderate to locally strong trades to persist through Saturday, then slightly decrease Sunday into early next week. A Small Craft Advisory (SCA) remains in effect for the typically windier waters around Maui and the Big Island through Saturday afternoon. Winds will be borderline SCA levels Sunday into early next week.

A small, medium-period south swell will gradually ease into Saturday. Another small, long-period south swell will arrive and fill in on late Saturday, then peak on Sunday before gradually declining early next week. This swell should boost surf heights back up to near normal for this time of year.

Surf along east facing shores will remain rough and choppy with a slight decline possible early next week due to minor fluctuations of our trades. Surf heights along north facing shores will remain tiny through the first half of next week. A tiny bump in surf is possible for north-facing shores on Saturday with the arrival of a very small, medium period west-northwest swell.

 

An Introduction to Hawaii's Beautiful Nature - The Elevated Moments


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.

Here’s the link to the National Hurricane Center (NHC)

 

>>> Northeast Pacific: There are no active tropical cyclone

Central and Western East Pacific:

A tropical wave located several hundred miles south-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula continues to produce disorganized shower and thunderstorm activity. Gradual development of this system is possible during the next several days as it moves generally west-northwestward, and a tropical depression could form during the early to middle part of next week. By late next week, the system is expected to reach a much less favorable environment for development.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent
* Formation chance through 7 days…medium…50 percent

Here’s the link to the National Hurricane Center (NHC)

 

>>> Central Pacific: There are no active tropical cyclones

Central and Western East Pacific:

A tropical wave located several hundred miles south-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula continues to produce disorganized shower and thunderstorm activity. Gradual development of this system is possible during the next several days as it moves generally west-northwestward, and a tropical depression could form during the early to middle part of next week. By late next week, the system is expected to reach a much less favorable environment for development.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent
* Formation chance through 7 days…medium…50 percent

Here’s the link to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC)

 

>>> Northwest Pacific Ocean: 

Tropical Cyclone 07W (Mekkhala)…is located approximately 394 NM west-southwest of Yokosuka, Japan  

https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/products/wp0726.gif

 

Tropical Cyclone 08W (Higos)…is located approximately 169 NM east-northeast of Yokosuka, Japan – Final Warning

https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/products/wp0826.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:  Ilinois Study: How Cracks in Dry Soil Impact Moisture Evaporation

Soils that are exposed to prolonged drought often develop desiccation cracks, which impact soil properties and exacerbate moisture loss through evapotranspiration. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign examines the evolution of soil cracking and how cracks interact with storage and movement of water in the soil. The findings can help improve hydrological models essential for water management.

“As moisture evaporates from the soil, it induces stress. Once this stress exceeds the tensile strength of the soil, the soil breaks and desiccation cracks form. The cracks open additional surface area for moisture to transfer from the soil to the atmosphere, causing soil with cracks to become even drier,” said lead author Kristelle Dela Cruz, a doctoral student in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences and The Grainger College of Engineering at Illinois.

Soils are generally described based on their texture and structure, explained co-author Maria Chu, professor in ABE. “Texture refers to the percentages of sand, silt, and clay that make up the soil. Structure describes how these different components are arranged into clumps or aggregates. When the soil cracks it affects the organization of components, changing the soil structure.”

The research team built a lysimeter – an instrument which measures the water balance of soil – to replicate field conditions in the lab. The lysimeter contained a column with one cubic foot of silt loess, a soil common in the U.S. Midwest. They added an environmental chamber with temperature control and a tile drain to allow for drainage flow.

Read More: University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences