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

 

The latest update to this website was at 654am Thursday morning HST


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

2.70  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
2.05  Kalawahine, Oahu
0.09  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.07  Lanai City, Lanai
0.63  West Wailuaiki, Maui
1.23  Spencer, Big Island


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

27  Lihue, Kauai – NE
40  Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu – SE
31  Makapulapai, Molokai – ENE
m   Lanai – missing
46  Na Kula, Maui – ESE 
42  Puuloa, Big Island – NW


Hawaii’s MountainsHere’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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Category 4 major Hurricane Lowell south-southwest of Hilo, Hawaii…with Category 4 major Hurricane Karina far east…and Hurricane Marie spinning closer to the Mexican coast

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Variable low clouds across the state…high clouds arriving from the northern fringe of Lowell’s clouds to the south

 

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Category 4 Hurricane Lowell 

 

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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




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

456am, it’s mostly clear with high cirrus clouds here at my place here in Kula with a low temperature of 54 degrees, and the relative humidity is 80%…with calm winds

558am, the high icy Cirrus clouds lit up a beautiful pink at sunrise!

 

We continue to be in the heart of our hurricane season, so that we need to keep our eyes peeled for systems taking aim on our Hawaiian Islands through the next three months…through the end of November.

This first TC is Major Category 4 Hurricane Lowell, with the current forecast track showing Lowell staying to the south of the islands, although the models show the system taking a hard turn towards the north just after passing Hawaii. We don’t want to see another Hurricane Iniki situation, when that Category 4 hurricane slammed into Kauai back in September 1992! The other system, Major Category 4 Hurricane Karina, should move by to the northeast and north.

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Hawaii’s Weather Highlights…as of Thursday morning: A strong pressure gradient has developed over the state, as a strong high sits north of the state, and Major Hurricane Lowell passes several hundred miles south southwest of the Big Island. This gradient is generating windy and gusty trades over Maui County, the Big Island, and over Oahu. Expect isolated to scattered showers during the nights and early mornings along windward locations.

By this weekend, the National Hurricane Center projects Hurricane Lowell to take a rather sharp turn northward. Lowell could be at or near major hurricane strength when it moves near the westernmost Hawaiian Islands late Monday and Monday night. While it is still too soon to determine the exact track of the hurricane, Lowell could bring storm surge, wind, and rainfall impacts to portions of Hawaii early next week. This is a good time for all residents to ensure they have their hurricane plan and supply kit in place.

Weather Narrative..as of Thursday morning: Satellite imagery loop shows the distinct eye of major Hurricane Lowell well south-southwest of the Big Island, along with accompanying deep convection. Only patches of cirrus clouds on the northern fringes of the TC have managed to spread over Big Island, Maui County, and Oahu. According to the latest NHC advisory package, Lowell is 450 miles south-southwest of Hilo and moving west at 10 mph.

Across the state, isolated trade showers continue to affect windward locations, with rain rates generally less than 0.10″ an hour. Breezy conditions will allow a few of the showers to pass over the elevated terrain and into leeward sides. Gusty winds have been noted across much of the island chain over the past several hours. Local surface pressure gradients have tightened across the state as Hawaii remains sandwiched between a 1030 millibar high far north of Hawaii, and low pressure from Lowell`s passing to the south.

Winds continue to gust between 35 and 50 mph over the most wind prone passes, ridgelines, and to the lee of terrain. A Wind Advisory remains in effect for select portions of Oahu, Maui County, and Big Island through early Friday morning. However, this product may need to be extended through the day on Friday if current guidance holds. Similar local weather conditions are expected Saturday through mid-day Sunday, with typical summertime breezy trade winds and night/early morning windward showers.

Attention will shift late this weekend into early next week to the forecast track of Hurricane Lowell. Confidence has been increasing of a northward jog of the major hurricane, in response to an upper level low, north of Hawaii. While it is still too soon to determine the exact track of the hurricane, Lowell could bring storm surge, wind, and rainfall impacts to portions of Hawaii early next week. Interests in Hawaii should continue to closely monitor the progress of Lowell through the upcoming Labor Day weekend, listen to the advice of officials, and ensure they have their hurricane plan and supply kit in place.

Fire Weather: Trade winds will remain strong and gusty into Friday. Gusts to, or over 50 mph, will be possible in the typical windy areas. Relative humidity values are forecast to remain too high for critical fire criteria to be reached, and fuels are currently rated as not critical. Therefore, the strong winds will not trigger fire weather watches or warnings. The trade inversion is forecast to be 6,000 to 7,000 feet today.

 

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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 MapLooping Surface Precipitation…through the next 8-days / Vog Map

 

Marine Conditions…as of Thursday morning: A strong surface high persists far north of the Hawaiian Islands. Hurricane Lowell is passing to the south. The interaction between the two will strengthen the trade winds across the coastal waters to fresh to locally near gale force. A Small Craft Advisory (SCA) remains in effect for all Hawaiian Waters through 6am Friday with an extension possible.

While there is still plenty of uncertainty regarding the exact track of Lowell, confidence is fairly high that the southwest and western offshore waters will see Hurricane conditions. How close it gets to the state, is yet to be determined. As for Hurricane Karina, confidence is increasing that Karina will pass to the north and northeast of the state.

Swells from Hurricane Lowell will steadily fill in across rest of the island chain today and will likely produce advisory level surf for south and southeast exposures throughout the state. Swells from Lowell will likely linger through next week and will gradually veer from southeast to south today and eventually towards the southwest early next week. While, the forecast for swells and seas for next week will highly depend on the eventual track and intensity of Lowell, confidence is beginning to increase for the potential of extra-large surf (exceeding warning levels) along south and western exposures early next week. Additionally, the current moderate long period south swell will decline through the rest of the week.

A large, medium-period east swell from Hurricane Karina will steadily fill in Friday into the weekend and will likely produce high end advisory level surf or warning level surf along east facing shores by this weekend.

 

>>> Highest Temperature Wednesday, September 2, 2026 – 109 degrees near La Puerta, CA


>>>
Lowest Temperature Wednesday, September 2, 2026 – 26 degrees at Austin, NV

 

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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 cyclone

 

Gulf of America: 

Remnants of Tropical Cyclone 05 (Edouard)…is located about 65 miles southeast of Dallas, Texas

EDOUARD’S REMNANTS WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLOODING THROUGH THURSDAY

According to the NHC advisory number 12

The remnants are moving toward the west-northwest near 5 mph and this motion is expected to continue until dissipation. Maximum sustained winds are near 25 mph with higher gusts. Slow weakening to dissipation is forecast during the next 24 hours. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1012 mb (29.89 inches).

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Northeast Pacific:

Tropical Cyclone 11E (Karina)…is located about 1195 miles east of Hilo, Hawaii

KARINA CONTINUES TO MOVE WESTWARD AS A MAJOR HURRICANE

According to the NHC advisory number 29…

Karina is moving toward the west near 10 mph, with a more west-northwestward motion expected over the next couple of days. Maximum sustained winds are near 115 mph with higher gusts. Karina is a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Gradual weakening is forecast during the next several days. However, Karina is expected to remain a hurricane for the next couple of days. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles. The estimated minimum central pressure is 961 mb (28.38 inches).

 

Tropical Cyclone 13E (Marie)…is located about 410 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California

MARIE A LITTLE STRONGER

According to the NHC advisory number 10…

Marie is moving toward the west-northwest near 10 mph, and this motion is expected to continue through this weekend. Maximum sustained winds are near 90 mph with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast over the next day or so, followed by gradual weakening this weekend. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 40 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 230 miles . The Mexican Navy Weather Station on Clarion Island recently reported a wind gust of 56 mph in one of Marie’s outer rain bands. The estimated minimum central pressure is 976 mb (28.82 inches).

 

Central North Pacific

Tropical Cyclone 12E (Lowell)…is located about 450 miles south-southwest of Hilo, HI

LOWELL EXPECTED TO REMAIN A MAJOR HURRICANE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS …INTERESTS IN THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF LOWELL

According to the NHC advisory number 29…

Lowell is moving toward the west near 10 mph. This general motion with a gradual decrease in forward speed is expected during the next couple of days, followed by a turn toward the northwest and north this weekend. Maximum sustained winds are near 140 mph with higher gusts. Lowell is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some fluctuations in intensity are expected during the next few days. However, Lowell is expected to remain a major hurricane for the next several days. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 40 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles. The estimated minimum central pressure is 945 mb (27.91 inches).

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

SURF: Swells generated by Lowell are spreading northward and will affect portions of the Hawaiian Islands during the next several days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

 

Northwest Pacific Ocean:

Tropical Cyclone 17W (Saudel) is located approximately 198 NM east-northeast of Hong Kong – Final Warning

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Tropical Cyclone 22W (Krovanh) is located approximately 107 NM north-northeast of Kadena AB

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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: 
A Weakening Atlantic Ocean Current System Could Accelerate Earth’s Warming, Research Suggests

A current system in the Atlantic Ocean that shapes regional climates and distributes ocean nutrients also serves as a control knob to help regulate temperatures across the planet, new research has found.

An analysis of past natural oscillations in the strength of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation system, or AMOC, shows that during periods with a strong AMOC, the global ocean and planet lost heat. When the AMOC was weak, the global ocean and planet gained additional heat.

“The AMOC works like a heat valve that controls the energy budget of the planet,” said Christo Buizert, a paleoclimatologist at Oregon State University and lead author of the study, which was just published in Nature Geoscience.

Read More: Oregon State University