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

 

The latest update to this website was at 9pm Friday evening HST


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

1.58  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.09  Palisades, Oahu
0.37  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.71  Puu Kukui, Maui
1.67  Kawainui Stream, Big Island


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

35  Lihue, Kauai – NE
46  Kuaokala, Oahu – ENE
35  Makapulapai, Molokai – NE 
35  Lanai 1, Lanai – NE
52  Kealaloloa Rg, Maui – NE
56  Puulua, 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 in the deeper tropics to our south 

 

https://cdn.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES18/ABI/SECTOR/hi/14/20261422200-20261430550-GOES18-ABI-HI-14-600x600.gif

Clear to variably cloudy…high clouds to the south 

 

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 mostly windward…although not exclusively 

 

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Please open this link to see details on the 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

It’s mostly clear here in Maui County, along with the usual low clouds along the windward sides, with calm winds at my place, and with a very chilly low of 49 degrees and the relative humidity is 68%

410pm, partly sunny and locally very windy here on Maui, with a minimum amount of showers…restricted to the windward sides.

522pm, it’s turned rather windy here at my place in upper Kula.

533pm, just heard that the power may be shut off here in Kula, I hope not.

9pm, here in upper Kula it’s clear to partly cloudy, and I can see what looks like clouds/showers falling down in Pukalani, which likely means its wet in Makawao and Haiku, and Huelo, all the way out to Nahiku and Hana. Here at my place it’s rather cool at 59.9 degrees with calm winds and the relative humidity is 77%

Trade Winds: As you know if you’re here in the islands now, the name of the game is absolutely the strong to very strong and gusty trade winds. These blustery winds are stronger than normal for late spring, and as a matter of fact, for any time of year! I mean a top gust of 67 mph yesterday, and already today this air in a hurry is gusting up to 60 mph. However, our late spring trade wind flow will begin mellowing out soon.

Tropical Cyclones: On the one hand I’m a bit surprised that the warm ocean to the south of the islands, down near the Equator, here in the central Pacific all the way over to the coast of Mexico in the eastern Pacific, are free of any tropical cyclone activity…or even any areas of disturbed weather. On the other hand it doesn’t seem terribly unusual either, as over the years I’ve seen it go both ways, ranging from already a little active in terms of tropical cyclones, to nothing going on at all…like it is currently.

Tropical Vegetation: You know I’ve lived here in the tropics for 50 years, so I’ve had lots of time to view different trees here in Hawaii. I just got back from my second walk of the day, and one of the times that I stopped to catch my breath, I noticed how much I especially love Banana Leaves, and Coconut Palm Fronds…they are two of my favorites.


>>> Highest Temperature Friday, May 22, 2026 – 106 degrees at Stovepipe Wells, CA
>>> Lowest Temperature Friday, May 22, 2026 – 13 degrees near Dubois, WY

 

NOAA predicts active Pacific hurricane season as El Niño returns

NOAA is predicting a 70 percent chance of above-normal activity in both the eastern and central Pacific basins this year. In the eastern Pacific, forecasters expect between 15 and 22 named storms, including up to 14 hurricanes, and as many as nine major hurricanes. In the central Pacific — the region that includes Hawaii — NOAA predicts between five and 13 tropical cyclones this season.

NOAA Administrator Dr. Neil Jacobs said El Niño is one of the biggest factors behind this year’s forecast.

“In the central and eastern Pacific, the El Niño reduces the vertical wind shear, essentially the opposite of the Atlantic, which is why we’re expecting an above-average season, in addition to the warmer sea surface temperatures,” Jacobs said.

Lower wind shear allows storms to organize and strengthen more easily over the Pacific Ocean.

Compared to last year’s outlook — when the central Pacific forecast called for just one to four storms and the eastern Pacific expected 12 to 18 named storms — this year’s projections point to a more active season overall.

 

Interesting web article:  Mauka Showers…Not Done Yet! Intense Rain Event Hits Oahu

 

Hawaii’s Broad Brush Weather Overview…as of Friday evening:  Breezy to locally windy trades will weaken slightly through Monday, then hold at moderate strengthen through the remainder of next week. Showers will favor windward and mountain areas, with little rainfall over most leeward sections.

Weather Details for the Hawaiian Islands…as of Friday evening: Locally windy trades remain in place, though down slightly from yesterday`s peak. A 1032 millibar high centered about 950 miles north of the islands, is driving the strong trade wind flow, and mid level ridging, northwest of the state is creating very stable conditions with an inversion ranging between 5,000 to 7,000 feet. Under this environment, winds continue to be accelerated over and downwind of terrain, and the Wind Advisory has been extended through tonight for portions of Big Island and Maui, mainly to account for the evening hours that tend to experience stronger gusts.

Even though the atmosphere is stable and precipitable water is near to below seasonal average, trades will continue to focus showers over windward and mountain areas, where generally less than a quarter of an inch of rainfall is expected tonight. Aside from a few lingering showers over the Kona slopes of the Big Island this evening, little leeward rainfall is expected.

Trades will drop a notch during the weekend, but will still remain breezy through the Memorial Day holiday. The surface high driving the winds will weaken slightly but remain at around 1029 millibars, strong enough to produce breezy trades. Stable conditions will continue, and modest windward rainfall and a few afternoon showers over the Kona slopes are expected. Moderate trade winds will prevail Tuesday through the middle of next week.


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 Environmental Conditions…as of Friday evening: A strong high pressure ridge will remain north of the Hawaiian Islands maintaining strong to near gale force trade winds into Saturday. The high will begin a weakening trend Saturday then shift northeast of the state during the first half of next week. Strong trade winds will gradually trend down to moderate to locally strong speeds by Tuesday and then hold through the end of next week.

A Small Craft Advisory (SCA) for all Hawaiian Coastal Waters remains in effect through early Sunday morning. The SCA conditions will likely continue for locally windier waters through the first half of next week.

East facing shores are expected to remain just below advisory thresholds through the weekend, and trend down next week, as trade wind speeds ease locally and upstream. Surf along north facing shores will remain tiny. A small, moderate period north-northwest (330 degree) swell will trickle in early Saturday and peak Saturday night, bringing a small boost in surf heights along north and west facing shores through the weekend.

A slightly larger northwest swell will fill in Tuesday and peak Wednesday of next week, that could bring near to slightly above average summertime surf for north and west facing shores. A small, long period south swell will continue to fill in tonight, peak Saturday, boosting surf to near to slightly above average. This swell will begin to fade out Sunday. Another similar south swell will slowly fill in Tuesday, peak Wednesday then slowly fade into the second half of next week.

 

May include: Watercolor painting of a coastal scene with a beach, ocean, and cloudy sky. Palm trees and small buildings line the shore. Three figures sit on the beach, observing the ocean. The artwork is signed in the lower right corner.


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)

 

>>> Eastern Pacific: 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)

 

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

Routine issuance of the Tropical Weather Outlook will begin on June 1, 2026.

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

 

>>> Northwest Pacific Ocean:  There are no active tropical cyclone

>>> 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:  Most Americans Concerned Climate Change Will Harm Their Health

As climate change intensifies extreme weather and environmental conditions across the country, about 65% of U.S. adults are concerned that climate change will negatively affect their personal health, according to a new study published in Health Affairs Scholar.

The study, a collaboration between the University of Hawaii at M?noa Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, analyzed responses from 6,888 adults who participated in the Health Information National Trends Survey.

The study’s co-authors include Alex Ortega, dean of the Thompson school, and Jim Stimpson, a professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Read More at: University of Hawaii