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

 

The latest update to this website was at 1215pm Saturday afternoon HST


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

1.62  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.95  Lyon, Oahu
1.47  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.07  Lanai
2.61  Puu Kukui, Maui
1.98  Laupahoehoe, Big Island


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

33  Lihue, Kauai – NE
36  Kuaokala, Oahu – NE
32  Makapulapai, Molokai – ENE 
37  Lanai 1, Lanai – NE
48  Na Kula, Maui – ENE
45  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

 

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Cold front far northwest…thunderstorms in the deeper tropics to our south 

 

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Clear to variably cloudy 

 

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 Saturday 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 off an on breezy conditions at my place, and with a chilly low of 50 degrees and the relative humidity is 82%

1036am, it’s trying to turn cloudy over many parts of Maui County this morning, and around the mountains and along the windward coasts and slopes it’s mostly cloudy with off and on passing showers.

12pm, our skies over Maui have cleared back quite a bit over the last hour or so, leaving mostly sunny skies in many areas, although the clouds over along the windward sides are holding tight at the time of this writing.

>>> At about 946pm last night we had a scary magnitude 6 Earthquake, that lasted for quite some time, not one of those quick jolts, but one that keep going for too long. It was centered in Honaunau, down on the Big Island, although I sure felt it here on Maui too!

 

Weather Map: Looking at the latest map I see a broad, moderately strong high pressure system to the north of the islands, with two others a bit further northeast. The primary high, which is weighing in at 1029 millibars, has an elongated ridge of high pressure extending down to the the east-southeast, crossing the International Dateline at about 30 degrees north latitude, and on into the western Pacific. This high is pumping out our gusty trade winds today, as it has been for many days now. Forecast maps show this high shifting northeast and weakening into Sunday, which will have our blustery trades down shifting a gear or two by mid-week…and then holding steady through the remainder of next week.

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 Saturday, May 23, 2026 – 16 degrees near Mackay, ID

 

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 Saturday afternoon:  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.

Short Term Update: A relatively moist band was moving through the islands this morning, but satellite and radar show that this will be replaced by a much drier band this afternoon. This drier air should last into mid-afternoon, then be replaced by partly to mostly cloudy skies and scattered showers (mainly windward and mountains). Winds remain breezy, and the wind advisory will remain in effect until 6pm.

Weather Details for the Hawaiian Islands…as of Saturday afternoon: Satellite and radar trends show scattered showers across windward and mountain locations, within the low clouds riding in on the trades. A surface high centered about 950 miles north of the islands is driving this strong trade wind flow, and mid level ridging northwest of the state is creating stable conditions.

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. Even though the atmosphere is stable and precipitable water values are near to below seasonal averages, trades will continue to focus showers over windward and mountain areas. Aside from a few lingering showers over the Kona slopes of the Big Island, limited rainfall is expected across leeward areas. These showers and moderate trades will continue 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 Saturday afternoon: 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.

A High Surf Advisory (HSA) for east facing shores has been cancelled. Near shore observations show surf heights have dropped below advisory levels thresholds. Surf heights 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 today. A small, moderate period, north-northwest (330 degree) swell will peak tonight, 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, 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.

 

Hamoa Beach, Maui


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:  A First Among Major Nations, India Is Industrializing With Solar

A sea of solar panels is rapidly engulfing one of the world’s largest salt deserts. By 2029, nearly 60 million panels will cover 280 square miles of India’s Rann of Kutch, extending right up to the border with Pakistan. The Khavda solar park is set to be the world’s largest and most powerful supplier of electricity from the sun, with a generating capacity of 30 gigawatts — 30 times the size of a typical coal or nuclear power station and enough to power Austria.

With India’s economy now growing faster than China’s, Khavda epitomizes the country’s breakneck rush to electrify with solar power. Installed solar capacity in India has been growing by 40 percent a year. In March, it passed 150 gigawatts, and by 2030 is set to double again.

Analysts say the world’s most populous nation is on the verge of becoming the first major country to power its industrialization predominantly with solar energy.

Read More at: Yale Environment 360