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

 

The latest update to this website was at 517am Thursday morning HST


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

0.02  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.03  Poamoho RG 1, Oahu
0.00  Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.47  West Wailuaiki, Maui
0.84  Kawainui Stream, Big Island


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

13  Lawai, Kauai – ENE
21  Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu – SE 
13  Anapuka, Molokai – NE
m   Lanai – missing
12  Launiupoko 2, Maui – NE
09  Keaumo, Big Island – NW


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

 

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

 

https://cdn.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES18/ABI/SECTOR/hi/13/20262320600-20262321400-GOES18-ABI-HI-13-600x600.gif
A trough of low pressure is passing by to our northeast 

 

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…not many 

 

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 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%

 

Hawaii’s Weather Highlights…as of Thursday morning: Increased shower activity is expected through Friday as trade winds weaken. We`re continuing to monitor Tropical Depression 02C which could strengthen, with impacts to the state possible late Saturday through late Monday. There remains uncertainty in the details of the forecast so please continue to monitor in the coming days for additional information.

Weather Narrative..as of Thursday morning: Weak trade winds today will allow for sea breezes to develop, increasing chances of showers in some leeward areas. Winds will increase late Friday and veer easterly. Typical trade showers will return over windward and mountain areas, most common at night. Forecast for Saturday will be influenced by how the tropical system to the east-southeast of the state evolves. Current forecast maintains typical trade wind showers and increasing winds.

Tropical Depression 02C has developed 960 miles east-southeast of Hilo. The first look at the potential track keeps the storm south of the Big Island, but it is still early in the forecast process, and the track could shift either north or south in coming advisory cycles.

Impacts from rain, wind, and surf can be experienced well outside the center of the storm, so do not focus too much on the exact track. Current guidance indicates that precipitation will increase on the east side of the state Saturday night into Sunday, spreading west Sunday night into Monday. The timing, direction, and magnitude of the strongest winds remain highly dependent on the track and intensity of the system.

 

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 morning: High pressure to the far northeast will gradually weaken over the next couple of days. Additionally, a trough northeast of the islands will track northwestward across the offshore waters, leading to a period of light and variable winds today for most waters, allowing daytime sea breezes and overnight land breezes to become established.

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 newly developed Tropical Depression 02C nears the state from the southeast. The forecast for this weekend will depend significantly on the uncertain track of this tropical cyclone.

Surf along south facing shores will remain slightly below average. A long period south-southwest swell generated from gales just south and east of New Zealand will begin arriving late today into Friday, boosting surf to near average by Friday night.

Surf along east facing shores also remains below average with weak trades, then builds this weekend as the trades restrengthen. This will be compounded by a southeast swell generated by Tropical Depression 02C, that will build through Sunday and could approach advisory levels.

North facing shores will remain tiny through Friday, with a slight rise from Lala swell (290 to 300 degrees) possible this weekend.

 

>>> Highest Temperature Wednesday, August 19, 2026 – 120 degrees at Death Valley, CA


>>> Lowest Temperature Wednesday, August 19, 2026 – 31 degrees near Mackay, 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…10 percent 
* Formation chance through 7 days…low…30 percent 

 

Central North Pacific:

Tropical Cyclone 01C (Lala)…is located about 130 miles southwest of Maro Reef

LALA CONTINUES MOVING NORTH-NORTHWESTWARD AS A HURRICANE NEARING THE PAPAHANAUMOKUAKEA MARINE NATIONAL MONUMENT

According to the NHC advisory number 33…

Lala is moving toward the north-northwest near 9 mph. 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 be near portions of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument later today. Maximum sustained winds are near 100 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 969 mb (28.62 inches).

 

Tropical Cyclone 02C…is located about 960 miles east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii

NEW TROPICAL DEPRESSION FORMS OVER THE CENTRAL PACIFIC …COULD BRING HEAVY RAINFALL TO PORTIONS OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS THIS WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK

According to the NHC advisory number 1…

The depression is moving toward the west-northwest near 16 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 314 NM east of Andersen AFB

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.