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

 

The latest update to this website was at 719am Wednesday morning HST


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

0.46  Hanalei, Kauai
0.46  Moanalua RG, Oahu
0.07  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.02  Lanai 1, Lanai
1.12  West Wailuaiki, Maui
1.30  Honolii Stream, Big Island


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

17  Port Allen, Kauai – NE
27  Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu – ENE
29  Makapulapai, Molokai – ENE 
39  Kealaloloa Rg, Maui – NE 
45  Puuloa, 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. 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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Tropical systems remain active in the eastern and central Pacific…including Hurricane Odalys and Category 4 Major Hurricane Polo…along with newly formed Tropical Depression 15E near Hawaii 


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Variable low clouds are present over the island chain…thunderstorms south-southeast

 

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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




~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

 

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

453am, it’s mostly clear with some high cirrus clouds here at my place, with the low temperature 59.5 degrees, relative humidity is 83%…with calm winds

 

>>> This very well advertised former TC 15E has finally made the grade and has now become Tropical Cyclone 15E!

 

At this point, our hope is that this TC will not directly impact the island chain. The latest NHC information suggests that there will be a sharp westward turn while the cyclone is close to the Big Island. However, it’s impossible to know exactly when that turn will happen. As has been the case, it’s not unsurprising that there’s a large north-south spread in the model guidance.



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Interests here in the Hawaiian Islands, and especially on the Big Island, should closely monitor the system, with life threatening catastrophic flooding possible over the steep terrain on the current track.
I consider this very unfavorable news: The rapid intensification probabilities are increasing, and the best model guidance is showing TC 15E as a major hurricane in a few days…as it approaches the Big Island by this weekend!
Key Messages:
1. Tropical Depression 15E is expected to strengthen into a tropical storm later today and a hurricane on Thursday as it turns northward, potentially making its closest approach to the Big Island of Hawaii on Saturday. There is an increasing risk of wind and wave impacts in the Hawaiian Islands, and a Hurricane Watch may be required for the Big Island later today.
2. The time to prepare for significant heavy rain and flooding impacts on the Big Island is now, as heavy rain becomes more likely by Thursday and Friday.  Periods of heavy rain are likely to continue across the Big Island and Maui through the weekend. Life-threatening, catastrophic flooding and mudslides are possible, especially in areas of steep terrain across the Big Island and Maui. Across the remainder of Hawaii, lesser rainfall totals are expected, with isolated flooding possible.
3. Interests in Hawaii should closely monitor the latest forecast updates and ensure that they have their preparedness plan in place.


Hawaii’s Weather Highlights…as of Wednesday morning: Trade winds will gradually strengthen statewide, and rainfall across Big Island will increase over the next couple of days, as Tropical Depression 15E intensifies south of the Big Island. The system is forecast to move near the Big Island on Friday and Saturday as a hurricane, bringing potentially damaging winds and heavy flooding rainfall.

While uncertainty in the track of the hurricane is higher than normal, the latest forecast calls for system to move westward late Saturday and Sunday, keeping some threat for significant impacts through the weekend. Interests across the State of Hawaii should monitor the progress of 15E.

Weather Narrative…as of Wednesday morning: As expected, Tropical Depression 15E redeveloped overnight just over 400 miles south-southeast of Hilo. Across the islands, moderate trade winds have prevailed. Moisture along the far northern periphery of the depression produced roughly a quarter to one half of an inch of rainfall across windward Big Island overnight, while windward portions of the Kau District experienced little rainfall. Across the rest of the state, modest shower activity was confined to windward slopes, while leeward areas stayed mostly dry.

The latest NHC forecast calls for 15E to steadily intensify to Tropical Storm Nolo as it moves westward today, then turns sharply northward tonight and Thursday. Expect gradually strengthening trade winds to supply a steady increase in moisture for mainly windward Big Island and Maui during this time, and a Flood Watch is in effect for these areas. Rain rates are not expected to be excessive during the next day, but steadily accumulating rainfall could lead to some flooding over windward and southeast Big Island and Maui. Across the rest of the state, breezy trades should continue to produce moderate rainfall across mainly windward slopes.

Significant impacts could develop as early as Friday and continue into the weekend. 15E is expected to be at hurricane strength during this time, and the National Hurricane Center track contains more uncertainty than normal. The forecast hurricane could bring damaging winds to Big Island sometime late Friday through Saturday, and with the slow-moving system passing near or possibly over the Big Island, extreme rainfall is becoming increasingly likely, especially over windward and southeast slopes, where in excess of 20 inches may produce widespread flooding.

Significant rainfall will be possible over windward Maui County as well, and it will only take a slight deviation in the forecast track to bring flooding to other islands. As mentioned, damaging winds will be possible on Big Island, and other islands could experience localized strong winds, depending on the eventual track of the hurricane.

The hurricane is expected to move westward Sunday, but given the high uncertainty in the official forecast track, impacts may persist through the weekend for some areas. More typical trade wind weather is expected early next week.

Fire Weather:  Breezy trades will return by this afternoon and steadily strengthen over the next several days. With winds strengthening, moderate fire weather conditions will be possible this week mainly over drier leeward areas. The inversion will remain weak and elevated today, and will be eliminated by tonight as deeper moisture moves over the Big Island.

 

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

 

Marine Conditions…as of Wednesday morning: The gradient between the subtropical high to the northeast, and Tropical Depression 15E to the south-southeast, will cause moderate to fresh trade winds across the Hawaiian coastal waters. A Small Craft Advisory (SCA) is in effect for the typical windy waters of Maui County and the Big Island through Friday morning. Tropical storm and/or hurricane watches and warnings may come into play Thursday through the weekend. Rainfall and thunderstorms will increase as the system nears, particularly across the eastern waters.

Surf along south facing shores will decrease as the current south-southwest swell fades. A moderate southwest swell will build in around Friday into the weekend, building surf back up across south and west facing shores nearing high surf advisory criteria. Tropical Depression 15E is expected to intensify to a hurricane over the next couple of days, and will likely produce very large and rough surf along south facing shores on the Big Island.

A small, short period, north-northwest swell will fade. Another small northwest swell will fill in this weekend keeping surf slightly elevated along north and west facing shores.

East facing shores will maintain rough, short period wind waves generated from the breezy trade winds.

 

>>> Highest Temperature Tuesday, September 22, 2026 – 104 degrees near La Puerta, Texas


>>> Lowest Temperature Tuesday, September 22, 2026 – 20 degrees near Big Bay, MI

 

Discover the Endless Beauty of Hawaii Landscape Photography


World-wide Tropical Cyclone Activity

 



>>> Here’s a link to the latest Pacific Disaster Center’s Weather Wall




Atlantic Ocean: 

>>> Far Eastern Tropical Atlantic:

An area of low pressure, associated with a tropical wave that just moved off the west coast of Africa, has formed about 600 miles southeast of the Cabo Verde Islands. This system could become a short-lived tropical depression on Thursday or Friday while it moves northwestward to northward. However, strong upper-level winds should end the opportunity for development by the weekend. Interests in the Cabo Verde Islands should monitor the progress of this system as gusty winds and areas of heavy rain are possible there by the end of the week.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…30 percent
* Formation chance through 7 days…medium…40 percent 

 

>>> Central Subtropical Atlantic:

(Former Tropical Storm Fay)

A low pressure system, formerly Tropical Storm Fay, is located about 800 miles southwest of the Azores. Shower activity associated with the low has increased this morning. However, significant re-development of this system is unlikely while it moves generally westward over the next couple of days. By the weekend, increasingly strong upper-level winds should inhibit re-development.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…20 percent
* Formation chance through 7 days…low…30 percent 

 

Caribbean Sea: There are no active tropical cyclones


Gulf of America: There are no active tropical cyclones

 

Northeast Pacific:

Tropical cyclone 16E (Odalys) is located about 1345 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California

 

ODALYS MAINTAINING ITS INTENSITY

According to the NHC advisory number 14

Odalys is moving toward the east-northeast near 8 mph. An eastward to east-northeastward motion at a slightly slower speed is expected for the next couple of days, followed by a gradual turn toward the northeast then north later this week. Maximum sustained winds are near 75 mph with higher gusts. Additional strengthening is expected during the next day or two, followed by a weakening trend late this week. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 10 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles. The estimated minimum central pressure is 989 mb (29.21 inches).

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Tropical cyclone 17E (Polo) is located about 300 miles southeast of Manzanillo, Mexico

POLO NOW MOVING SLOWLY NORTHWESTWARD

According to the NHC advisory number 10

Polo is now moving toward the northwest near 5 mph, and this motion is expected to continue through Thursday. A general west-northwestward motion is forecast on Friday and over the weekend. On the forecast track, the core of Polo is expected to be near the coast of southwestern Mexico during the next day or two, although it is forecast to remain offshore. Maximum sustained winds are near 150 mph with higher gusts. Polo is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Fluctuations in intensity are expected, but Polo is expected to remain a very powerful major hurricane during the next few days. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 40 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles. The estimated minimum central pressure is 927 mb (27.38 inches).

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>>> South of the Gulf of Tehuantepec:

An area of low pressure is expected to form in a couple of days to the south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec. Afterwards, environmental conditions should be favorable for gradual development, and a tropical depression is likely to form late this week or this weekend as the system moves slowly west-northwestward to northwestward, parallel to the coast of southern and southwestern Mexico.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent
* Formation chance through 7 days…high…80 percent

 

Central North Pacific:

Tropical Cyclone 15E is located about 320 south of South Point, Hawaii

INTERESTS IN THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS SYSTEM

According to the NHC advisory number 12 

The depression is moving toward the west-northwest near 6 mph, and this motion is expected for the next day or so. A sharp turn to the north and north-northeast is expected on Thursday, with this motion continuing through the end of the week. On the forecast track, the system is expected to approach the Big Island of Hawaii on Friday and Saturday. Maximum sustained winds remain near 35 mph with higher gusts. The system is expected to become a tropical storm later today, with further strengthening to a hurricane likely on Thursday and possibly a major hurricane by this weekend. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1004 mb (29.65 inches).

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND WIND:

There is an increasing risk of wind impacts in the Hawaiian Islands regardless of the exact track of this system.

RAINFALL: Tropical Depression 15E will produce rainfall totals of 15 to 20 inches across the Big Island with maximum amounts of 35 inches. This rainfall may produce catastrophic life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain. Rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches with maximum amounts of 20 inches expected across Maui. Life-threatening flooding and mudslides possible across Maui, especially in areas of high terrain, Across the remainder of the Hawaiian Islands, rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches with maximum amounts of 6 inches are expected with isolated flooding possible.

SURF: Swells generated by Tropical Depression 15E are expected to reach the east and south-facing shores of the Big Island on Friday, spreading westward and building through the weekend. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

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Northwest Pacific Ocean:

Tropical Cyclone 25W (Surigae)…is located approximately 413 NM north-northwest of Ulithi

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Southwest Pacific Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones

 

North and South Indian Oceans / Arabian Sea:

Tropical Cyclone 01B…is located approximately 380 NM southwest of Kolkata, India

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Here’s the link to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC)



Interesting:  Bike-Sharing Can Make Big Dent in Tailpipe Emissions?, SFU Study Finds

A new study found more than half of the city’s bike-share trips replace car trips, with each bike reducing annual CO? emissions by up 120 kilograms (kg) per year. Researchers say that number jumps to nearly 400 kg if those same bikes were used more times per day.

“We calculated each bike in Vancouver’s fleet makes almost two and half trips per day. In terms of emissions impact, it takes 18 bikes to remove tailpipe emissions from one gas-powered car,” says Vahid Hosseini, lead author of the study and a professor in the School of Sustainable Energy Engineering.

“That’s pretty good, but if those bikes were used eight times a day, it would only take five bikes for every one fossil fuel car and reduce tailpipe emissions by more than three per cent—all without adding a single bike-share station or bike to the fleet.”

Read More: Simon Fraser University