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

 

The latest update to this website was at 450pm Monday afternoon HST


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

0.54  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.65  Lyon, Oahu
0.94  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.05  Lanai City, Lanai
1.42  West Wailuaiki, Maui
1.37  Kawainui Stream, Big Island


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

18  Lawai, Kauai – NE
28  Palehua, Oahu – NE 
20  Makapulapai, Molokai – ENE 
01  Lanai 1, Lanai – NE
30  Kealaloloa Rg, Maui – NE
36  Kealakomo, Big Island – NNW


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.

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Big Blue…click twice for largest version

 

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  Tropical Storm 06E (Fausto) will move by just to our north…Category 4 Hurricane Genevieve moving away from Mexico 

 

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Variable low clouds…the leading edge of Fausto’s clouds are moving into the state from the east 

 

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

449am, it’s mostly clear here in upper Kula with calm winds, and a low temperature at my place of 53.5 degrees…with the relative humidity 801%

133pm, played pickleball in Makawao this morning, which was very fun. Satellite imagery definitely shows Hurricane Fausto approaching our general area. Out ahead of the system itself, there’s showery clouds about to impact the windward sides.

450pm, it’s sunny here in upper Kula, or at least partly sunny, while in contrast to the moderately heavy rain falling over along the windward side of east Maui.

 

We have Tropical Storm Fausto to the east of the Hawaiian Islands. It’s looking more and more likely that this system will move by just to our north. In which case we would see the associated cloud field bring some potential flooding showers our way over the next couple of days. Additionally, we are seeing large rising surf along the east facing shores…generated by Fausto.

In sum: Fausto should pass north of the Hawaiian Islands on Tuesday into Wednesday, with the bulk of the strongest winds and heaviest rainfall remaining north of the islands.

>>> For more information about Tropical Storm Fausto and Hurricane Genevieve, please scroll down this page to the World-wide Tropical Cyclone Activity section

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time of arrival graphic

IR Satellite Image

 

>>> Highest Temperature Sunday, July 26, 2026 – 121 at Death Valley, CA

>>> Lowest Temperature Sunday, July 26, 2026 – 32 degrees near Kirk, OR

 

Hawaii’s Weather Highlights…as of Monday afternoon: Moderate to breezy trade winds produced by strong high pressure far northwest of the Hawaiian Islands, will increasingly back northeast ahead of approaching Hurricane Fausto tonight into Tuesday. Shower activity should also experience an increase, but continue to favor windward mountain areas through early Tuesday.

As Fausto passes north of the Hawaiian Islands on Tuesday and Wednesday as a tropical storm, diminishing winds for the islands could allow for sea breezes and heavy afternoon rain showers. A drier, breezy trade wind weather pattern will return across the state from Thursday, onward as Fausto drifts westward away from the Hawaiian Islands.

Weather Commentary…as of Monday afternoon: Satellite imagery and radar reveals bands of showers entering the coastal waters from the northeast, as increased moisture associated with Hurricane Fausto begins to move into the Hawaiian Islands. These showers will begin to move onshore this evening, increasing precipitation for windward and mountain locations through Tuesday morning.

Total rainfall amounts could amount to up to half an inch to one inch of rain for localized mountain areas. Dew points are already increasing into the lower to mid 70’s, which will make for muggy conditions through Wednesday, while Fausto passes north of the islands as a tropical storm.

Fausto`s passage to the north will also act to actually reduce winds for the islands, which should allow for the development of a sea breeze regime for the Big Island and possibly Maui County as well on Tuesday. With the more saturated air, heavy rain showers will be possible in the afternoon/evening for locations where the winds weaken enough to give way to the sea breeze. Backed northeasterly trade winds are more likely to persist ahead of the cyclone for Oahu and Kauai, which will keep a more typical windward and mountain shower pattern.

Tuesday night, fairly weak winds and the potential for land breezes should actually lead to more limited shower activity, despite the increased moisture and proximity of the tropical storm. Southwesterly shear will tend to push the heavier precipitation associated with the weakening storm north and east of the center, away from Hawaii. On Wednesday, another day of relatively weak winds will lead to further potential for sea breezes and heavy rain showers, this time including Oahu and Kauai.

At this stage, subtle shifts in forecast track may still occur that would affect the specific island by island impacts from Fausto. The public is asked to pay close attention to this passing storm system, as weather impacts over the Hawaiian Islands will evolve the closer Fausto gets.

High confidence Fausto impacts include: warning-level high surf warning for east facing shores through Tuesday. A High Surf Warning is already in effect for east facing shores through Wednesday.

Lesser confidence impacts include: strong winds to around 40 mph near and north of the low center, and possible heavy rain threats from Tuesday through Wednesday.

No time like the present to review your family hurricane preparedness plans, and ensure every household has at least a 14 day supply of food and water available if needed during this years active hurricane season.

By Wednesday night, the cyclone continues on a west-northwest track and begins to gain distance from the islands, which will induce moderate to breezy southeast to easterly winds. From Thursday onward, a drier and more stable breezy trade wind pattern is set to return.

 

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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 Monday afternoon: Moderate to fresh NNE winds will be in place tonight as Hurricane Fausto enters the far northeast offshore waters. Winds will become more north and decrease tonight into Tuesday as Fausto moves through the northeast and northern offshore waters. As Fausto passes by, winds will be light and variable over the coastal waters, followed by south, then southeast immediately in its wake.

As Fausto moves off to the northwest and high pressure builds to the north, east-northeast trades will build back in on Thursday, then strengthen to fresh to locally strong levels on Friday into the weekend. A Small Craft Advisory (SCA) remains in effect for the winder waters and channels around Maui County and the Big Island. Additionally a SCA is now in effect for the windward waters due to the east swell through Tuesday night.

Nearshore buoys on the eastern side of the islands have shown a considerable uptick with the medium and long period energy from Fausto. The surf is expected to continue building through the evening and then peak tomorrow before dropping off Wednesday afternoon. A High Surf Warning for east facing shores is currently in effect through Wednesday afternoon. East shore surf will then trend back up Friday into the weekend due to a combination of rising trade wind swell and a new long period east swell generated by Hurricane Genevieve.

A series of south swells will keep south shore surf near the summertime average through the week.

Surf along north shores could also see some brief increase as Fausto (or its remnants) pass near the region Tuesday and Wednesday, then return to typical flat to tiny levels late Wednesday into the weekend.

 

Which Hawaii island is the best? They Are All Unique but Here's a litt – Wai?kea Hawaiian Volcanic Water | Store


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:

Hurricane 07E (Genevieve)…is located about 505 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California

GENEVIEVE REMAINS A POWERFUL MAJOR HURRICANE

According to the NHC Advisory number 15 

Genevieve is moving toward the northwest near 12 mph. A west-northwestward to northwestward motion with a decrease in forward speed is expected during the next couple of days. Maximum sustained winds are near 145 mph with higher gusts. Genevieve is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Steady weakening is expected the next several days. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles. The estimated minimum central pressure is 939 mb (27.73 inches).

Here’s the link to the National Hurricane Center (NHC)

 

Central North Pacific: 

Tropical cyclone 06E (Fausto)…is located about 415 miles east-northeast of Hilo, Hawaii

FAUSTO NOW A TROPICAL STORM …SIGNIFICANT SURF EXPECTED FOR THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS

According to the NHC Advisory number 36 

Fausto is moving toward the west-northwest near 16 mph, and a generally west-northwestward motion is expected to continue for the next several days. On the forecast track, Fausto should pass north of the Hawaiian Islands during the next few days. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 70 mph with higher gusts. Additional weakening is forecast during the next several days. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 996 mb (29.42 inches).

 

>>> Northwest Pacific Ocean:  

Tropical cyclone 12W (Dolphin)…is located approximately 520 NM southeast of Wake Island  

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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:  Hawaii’s Mantle Plume Is Getting Hotter over Time

New research shows the Hawaiian mantle plume has gotten hotter by about 250°C (480°F) over the past 47 million years. Led by Earth scientists at the University of Hawaii at M?noa, the study published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, reverses the long-held idea that hotspots start out very hot and progressively cool with time. Researchers also found that heat surges produced the two largest volcanoes along the Northwestern and Main Hawaiian Island chain.

The Hawaiian Ridge consists of 65 volcanoes spread over 3,500 km (2,179 miles) that were formed during the past 47 million years as the Pacific plate slowly moved over the Hawaiian hotspot, where a plume of molten material flows out of Earth’s crust. A team of researchers, led by Michael Garcia, Emeritus Professor of Earth Sciences in the UH M?noa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, set out to evaluate hypotheses that might explain the 100-fold fluctuation in lava volume along this ridge. By examining olivine basalts from 16 volcanoes, the researchers assessed four testable causes, including changes in lithosphere thickness, magma source composition, rate of the Pacific plate movement and plume temperature.

“It was a major surprise to find such a strong, direct correlation between mantle temperatures and volcano size,” said Garcia. “Other potential explanations simply failed to explain the data.”

Read More: University of Hawaii