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

 

The latest update to this website was at 855pm Monday evening HST


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

2.33  Kilohana, Kauai
0.86  Waiawa, Oahu
0.24  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.01  Lanai City, Lanai
1.13  Puu Kukui, Maui
0.95  Kawainui Stream, Big Island


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

22  Port Allen, Kauai – NE
38  Kuaokala, Oahu – S 
30  Molokai AP, Molokai – NE
m   Lanai – missing
43  Kealaloloa Rg, Maui – ESE
37  Pali 2, 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 (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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The tropical waters from southwest to southeast and far east-southeast of the islands are active with thunderstorms…along with two tropical cyclones 

 

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 Variable low clouds across the state…high clouds in the vicinity 

 

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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

451am, it’s clear here at my place here in Kula with a low temperature of 55 degrees, and the relative humidity is 81%

912am, the clear skies here in Maui County earlier this morning are turning partly cloudy with some cloudy areas.

347pm, it’s quite cloudy here in Maui County this afternoon. I played pickleball in Makawao this morning into the early afternoon, and it lightly rained off and on through the whole time.

434pm, it’s still sunny down along the beaches in Kihei and Wailea.

825pm, the afternoon clouds are clearing up, not completely, although enough that the temperature here at my Kula weather tower has dropped to 62 degrees, with the the humidity 75%

 

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 the season at the end of November.

As such, the NHC has advisories active on two tropical cyclones, both of which will work their way into our central Pacific…(Lowell is already in our central Pacific)

This first TC is Tropical Storm Lowell, is forecast to become a hurricane early Tuesday. The current forecast track shows Lowell staying to the south of the islands. The other system, Major Category 4 Hurricane Karina, may come closer or even very close…there’s still a high degree of uncertainty.

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time of arrival graphic

 

Hawaii’s Weather Highlights…as of Monday evening: Breezy trades will continue into Wednesday. Showers will generally favor windward and mauka areas, particularly during the overnight through early morning hours each day. Tropical Storm Lowell is about 630 miles southeast of the Big Island, and is forecast to pass south of the Big Island late Wednesday into Thursday. Trade winds are expected to become strong and gusty as early as Wednesday afternoon, and continue into Friday as Lowell passes south of the state. The forecast remains uncertain for Labor Day weekend, with the potential for Lowell and Karina to be in the the vicinity of the state.

Weather Narrative..as of Monday evening: Clouds and showers continue to be carried in on the trade wind flow, and as a result are focused over the windward and mauka areas. A surface trough about 450 miles east of the islands will continue to move towards the islands over the next 24 hours and weaken, however moisture from that trough will reach the islands tomorrow night and be one of the reasons showers are expected to be on the increase.

Tropical Storm Lowell is about 630 miles southeast of the Big Island, and the latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) has Lowell strengthening to a hurricane soon. The latest track and cone for Lowell has the system passing south of the islands Wednesday night through Friday. Outer rainbands and moisture from Lowell could begin to spread across the islands Tuesday, increasing chances of passing trade wind showers, however the bulk of moisture will likely pass south of the state. Additionally dew point temperatures are expected to exceed 70 degrees, which will make the atmosphere muggier than normal. Trade winds will stay breezy due to a strong surface high remaining far north of the area.

Overall expect an increase in passing showers over the next few days, due to the moisture from the trough mentioned above Tuesday night, and moisture loosely associated with Lowell passing through the state. The latest forecast from the NHC has Lowell passing a little over 300 miles south of the Big Island Wednesday night into Thursday, as a category 3 Major Hurricane. While probabilities for tropical storm force winds remain low over the state, the tightening of the pressure gradient over the islands will likely produce very windy and gusty trade winds as early as Wednesday afternoon through Friday. Winds could reach advisory thresholds with wind gusts over 50 mph possible during this time.

As we head into the weekend, as Lowell exits, our focus will shift more to Hurricane Karina which is currently about 1600 miles east of the Big Island. The latest forecast from NHC for Karina brings it about 600 miles east of the Big Island on Saturday. We need to continue monitoring Karina over the coming days, in order to discern its potential impacts on the state.

The forecast spread drastically increases over the Labor Day weekend into early next week, as an upper level trough/low develops north of the state. Latest run of the Google DeepMind (GDM) model continues to show Lowell taking sharp northward turn over the weekend. While confidence has increased on Lowell passing south of the state during the week, the forecast still remains very uncertain over Labor day weekend into early next week, with several ensemble members of the GDM showing a sharp northward turn. Also during this time, we could see Karina within the vicinity of the islands late this weekend.

 

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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 evening: A strong surface high will remain nearly stationary far north of the Hawaiian Islands this week, keeping moderate to locally strong trade winds in place. Tropical Storm Lowell, now in the Central Pacific, is forecast to intensify into a hurricane tonight and will track very close to or move into the southern offshore waters, bringing possible hurricane conditions from Wednesday into Thursday. There is still some uncertainty with the forecast track of Lowell, especially closer to this weekend as the cyclone begins to gain latitude, which will have significant impacts on the wind, wave, and surf forecast for the region.

Regardless of Lowell’s final path, trade winds will increase by Wednesday afternoon through Friday as a result of the gradient between high pressure to the north and Lowell to the south. By this weekend, Hurricane Karina, approaching the region from the east, will increasingly be a factor in the forecast of seas and surf as well.

A small, long-period south swell will hold through tonight before a moderate south swell arrives on Tuesday. This swell will build Tuesday morning and then peak on Wednesday, bringing surf heights to just below advisory thresholds. This swell will then gradually decline through the rest of the week. Also by Wednesday, medium- period energy from Lowell could start filling in across south and southeast shores. South shore surf is likely to be elevated, but stay below advisory levels through at least Friday. 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 and into next week.

Trade wind swell energy will keep elevated surf heights along all east facing shores through the coming week. On Tuesday, a medium- period east swell arrives from Hurricane Karina that will build through the week and could push east shore surf to advisory thresholds by this weekend and into next week.

 

>>> Highest Temperature Monday, August 31, 2026 – 110 degrees at Stovepipe Wells, CA


>>> Lowest Temperature Monday, August 31, 2026 – 20 degrees near Mackay, ID

 

10 Must-Take Photos in Hawaii: Aesthetic Island Moments


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: 

Tropical Cyclone 05 (Edouard)…is located about 115 miles southeast of Port Arthur, Texas

EDOUARD EXPECTED TO STRENGTHEN BEFORE REACHING THE NORTHWEST GULF COAST LATER TODAY

Edouard is moving toward the west-northwest near 7 mph. A west-northwestward to northwestward motion is forecast during the next day or two. On the forecast track, the center of Edouard is predicted to reach the northwestern Gulf Coast within the warning area later today and move inland over southeast Texas tonight. Maximum sustained winds remain near 40 mph with higher gusts. Strengthening is forecast and Edouard could approach hurricane strength before it reaches the northwest Gulf coast later today. Rapid weakening is expected after the center moves inland. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 25 miles from the center. The minimum central pressure estimated by reconnaissance dropsonde data is 1005 mb (29.68 inches).

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Northeast Pacific:

Tropical Cyclone 11E (Karina)…is located about 1135 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California

KARINA HOLDING STEADY AS A CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE

According to the NHC advisory number 19…

Karina is moving toward the west-northwest near 9 mph and this general motion is expected to continue through the forecast period. Maximum sustained winds remain near 130 mph with higher gusts. Karina is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Fluctuations in intensity remain possible through tonight, followed by a gradual weakening trend on Tuesday. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles  from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 115 miles (185 km). The estimated minimum central pressure is 950 mb (28.06 inches).

 

>>> Well offshore of Southwestern Mexico:

Invest 95E

Satellite-derived wind data indicate that a tropical storm appears to be forming with an area of low pressure located about 500 miles south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. Advisories on this system will likely be initiated on early Tuesday. The system is moving northwestward around 10 mph.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…high…100 percent
* Formation chance through 7 days…high…100 percent

 

Central North Pacific

Tropical Cyclone 12E (Lowell)…is located about 690 miles southeast of Hilo, HI

LOWELL FORECAST TO BECOME A HURRICANE SOON AND INTENSIFY RAPIDLY THEREAFTER

According to the NHC advisory number 18…

Lowell is moving toward the west near 10 mph. A west to west-northwest motion is expected to continue during the next several days. Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 70 mph with higher gusts. Rapid intensification is forecast over the next day or two, and Lowell is expected to become a major hurricane by Wednesday. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 90 miles from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 993 mb (29.33 inches).

 

Northwest Pacific Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones

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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: NASA’s Starling Mission Opens New Frontiers in Space Navigation

NASA’s Starling mission has marked another milestone in spacecraft autonomy by using a new system that determines a satellite’s position in orbit by referencing other objects in space, instead of relying on a navigational network.

The FALCON (Fast Autonomous Lost-in-space Catalog-based Optical Navigation) technology demonstration is a step toward spacecraft being able to operate more independently. As NASA prepares for more missions beyond Earth’s orbit, technologies like FALCON can support lunar satellite swarms, distributed science missions, and human exploration.

Traditional satellite navigation depends on GPS signals, but those can be unreliable or unavailable in lunar or deep space environments. The FALCON payload is a joint flight experiment by NASA and EraDrive, a startup spun out from Stanford University. It combines EraDrive’s Era-Core flight software and embedded algorithms with Starling’s cameras and an onboard catalog of known satellites to support GPS-independent navigation and space situational awareness.

Read More: NASA

Image: The Starling swarm’s extended mission tested GPS-independent navigation, using onboard star tracking for self-orbit determination and space object catalog updates.