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

 

The latest update to this website was at 430pm Wednesday afternoon HST


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

1.02  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
2.04  Moanalua RG, Oahu
2.15  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.12  Lanai City, Lanai
2.74  Puu Kukui, Maui
1.58  Honolii Stream, Big Island


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

23  Port Allen, Kauai – E
28  Honolulu AP, Oahu – NE
35  Makapulapai, Molokai – E
m   Lanai – missing
42  Na Kula, Maui – ESE
40  Waikoloa 2, 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 5 major Hurricane Lowell south of Hilo, Hawaii…with Category 4 major Hurricane Karina far east…with soon to be Hurricane Marie spinning closer to the Mexican coast

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Variable low clouds across the state

 

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Category 5 Hurricane Lowell (with wind gusts to 196mph)!

 

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

503am, it’s partly cloudy here at my place here in Kula with a low temperature of 60 degrees, and the relative humidity is 86%

919am, VERY UNUSUAL to have a soon to be Category 5 Hurricane so close to our islands…and I don’t like that sharp turn to the north this weekend, as it reminds me of Hurricane Iniki back in September of 1992!

130pm, here on Maui it’s mostly clear and sunny with dry air (68% relative humidity), and near calm here at my place in upper Kula. It’s interesting to be so sunny and near calm, when several hundred miles to the south, there’s a Category 5 hurricane churning the ocean with fury, with gusts of wind reaching just short of 200 mph!

336pm, wouldn’t be a bad idea to keep your phone and whatever else you charge up…full.

 

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 5 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 5 hurricane slammed into Kauai back in September 1992! The other system, Major Category 4 Hurricane Karina, should move by to the northeast and north.

cone graphic

time of arrival graphic

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Hawaii’s Weather Highlights…as of Wednesday afternoon: A strong pressure gradient is developing over the state as a strong high sits north of the state, and Major Hurricane Lowell passes roughly 400 miles south of the Big Island. A Wind Advisory is in effect for portions of Oahu, Maui County and the Big Island. Trades are expected to continue to strengthen across the state through Thursday, where portions of Kauai may be added to the wind advisory.

Trades will gradually ease Friday into Saturday. Expect scattered clouds and showers to focus over windward and mauka areas, particularly during the overnight hours. Sunday through early next week the forecast remains uncertain due to both Lowell and Karina nearing the state over the coming days

Weather Narrative..as of Wednesday afternoon: A tight pressure gradient is developing over the state as Major Hurricane Lowell tracks west roughly 400 miles south of the Big Island, and a strong high remains far north of the state. Very windy and gusty trades have developed over Maui County and the Big Island, and are anticipated to develop over Oahu this evening, thus have added portions of Oahu to the Wind Advisory. Portions of Kauai may need to be added to the Advisory Thursday as trade winds continue to strengthen across the state.

Current radar and satellite show clouds and showers have cleared significantly as drier air filters in. Expect typically trade wind showers to focus over windward and mauka areas, especially during the overnight and early morning hours, with a few showers spilling over to leeward areas at times within the strong trade wind flow. This trend will carry into the weekend, with a slight increase in showers expected Thursday night, as a low level band of clouds and showers ride through the trades.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) latest forecast on Lowell has the system continuing a westward track far south of the islands over the next couple of days, before turning northward late this weekend and early next week as major hurricane. While confidence is not high, there is a possibility that a major hurricane could impact the state next week. We need to continue closely monitoring this system. Now is the time to make a plan for worst case scenario in order to be able to take action if and when needed.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Karina is about 1360 miles east of Hilo, and the latest forecast from the NHC has it moving west-northwest through Friday, before lifting further to the north over the weekend, and weakening. As Karina moves northeast of the islands this weekend and early next week, it will help to disrupt the strong trade wind flow, helping our winds to return initially to more moderate levels.

Early next week it could lead to lighter winds. Remnant moisture from Karina could significantly increase chances of showers over the weekend, and interact with the moisture field with Lowell keeping cloudy and showery conditions into early next week. Due to the uncertainty with the forecast tracks of both Lowell and Karina this far out, confidence in the forecast is low, as details of the forecast for this upcoming holiday weekend are still being flushed out.

 

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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 Wednesday afternoon: As a strong surface high persists far north of the Hawaiian Islands and interacts with Hurricane Lowell passing to the south, trade winds will strengthen across the coastal waters to become fresh to locally near gale force. The Small Craft Advisory (SCA) remains in effect for the typically windy waters this morning and will expand to include all waters through Thursday night. The offshore waters will likely see tropical storm conditions over the far south, while the core of hurricane force winds remains just outside the area today through Thursday.

There is still some uncertainty with the forecast track of Lowell, especially late this weekend into early next week as the cyclone begins to gain latitude, which will have significant impacts on the wind, wave, and surf forecast for the region. Adding to the extended forecast uncertainty will be the approach of Hurricane Karina from the east.

A moderate, long-period south swell will peak later today below advisory levels and hold into Thursday. This swell will then gradually decline through the rest of the week. A small, medium- period south southeast swell from Lowell will fill in through the day, before becoming more southerly Thursday through Friday. These combined swells will keep south shore surf elevated near to just below advisory levels. Beyond that point, the surf forecast is highly dependent on the eventual track and intensity of Lowell, which has the potential to be a significant source of south to southwesterly swell through this weekend into next week.

Trade wind swell energy will keep rough, choppy surf along all east-facing shores through at least the weekend. A small, medium- period east swell from Hurricane Karina began filling in overnight and is expected to gradually build through the week, possibly pushing east shore surf to advisory, or even warning thresholds by this weekend into next week.

 

>>> Highest Temperature Tuesday, September 1, 2026 – 108 degrees near La Puerta, CA


>>>
Lowest Temperature Tuesday, September 1, 2026 – 26 degrees near Bynum, MT

 

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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 85 miles northwest of Lufkin, Texas

EDOUARD WILL CONTINUE TO CONTINUE TO ADD HEAVY RAINFALL TO FLOODED AREAS ACROSS EAST TEXAS THROUGH MIDDAY THURSDAY

According to the NHC advisory number 11

The remnants are moving toward the northwest near 6 mph and this motion is expected to continue until dissipation on Thursday. Maximum sustained winds are near 25 mph with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast during the next 48 hours. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1011 mb (29.86 inches).

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Northeast Pacific:

Tropical Cyclone 11E (Karina)…is located about 1325 miles east of Hilo, Hawaii

KARINA WEAKENS SLIGHTLY

According to the NHC advisory number 27…

Karina is moving toward the west-northwest near 10 mph and a west-northwestward motion is expected over the next few days. Maximum sustained winds are near 130 mph with higher gusts. Karina is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. A slow weakening trend is forecast the next few days, followed by a more steady rate of weakening. Karina is likely to remain a hurricane 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 947 mb (27.97 inches).

 

Tropical Cyclone 13E (Marie)…is located about 380 miles south-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California

MARIE STILL JUST SHY OF HURRICANE INTENSITY AS IT MOVES NORTHWESTWARD WELL OFFSHORE OF THE MEXICAN COAST

According to the NHC advisory number 7…

Marie is moving toward the northwest near 12 mph. This motion should continue through tonight followed by a turn more west-northwestward for the next several days. Maximum sustained winds are near 70 mph with higher gusts. Additional strengthening is forecast through Friday, and Marie is likely to become a hurricane tonight. Gradual weakening is anticipated to begin by this weekend. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 185 miles from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 992 mb (29.30 inches).

 

Central North Pacific

Tropical Cyclone 12E (Lowell)…is located about 445 miles south of Hilo, HI

LOWELL RAPIDLY INTENSIFIES INTO A CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE…EXPECTED TO REMAIN A MAJOR HURRICANE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS

According to the NHC advisory number 26…

Lowell is moving toward the west near 10 mph (17 km/h). This general motion with a gradual decrease in forward speed is expected during the next few days. Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 160 mph with higher gusts. Lowell is a category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, and it is expected to remain a major hurricane for the next several days. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 90 miles. The estimated minimum central pressure is 927 mb (27.38 inches).

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

SURF: Swells generated by Lowell are likely to affect portions of the Hawaiian Islands beginning today. 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 west-southwest of Taipei, Taiwan

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Tropical Cyclone 22W (Krovanh) is located approximately 196 NM east-southeast 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: 
Short, Intense Storms Gain Intensity Across Hawaii

While long-term data shows that Hawaii is getting drier overall, short, intense downpours that cause sudden, dangerous flash floods are getting stronger in the islands, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Hawaii at M?noa.

Published in the International Journal of Climatology, the research from the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience (CTAHR) is the first comprehensive study to analyze extreme hourly rainfall patterns across the state over 50 years (1966–2020). The team examined decades of hourly data from 117 rain gauges across Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui and Hawaii Island, uncovering climate trends that traditional 24-hour daily averages often miss.

Bursts of Intense Rain

In steep, mountain-filled tropical watersheds like Hawaii’s, bursts of intense rain lasting one to six hours can overwhelm stream channels and storm drains before emergency alerts are even issued.

Read More: University of Hawaii