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

 

The latest update to this website was at 505am Saturday morning HST


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

0.33  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.77  Moanalua RG, Oahu
0.04  Honolimaloo, Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.52  Puu Kukui, Maui
0.80  Waiakea Uka, Big Island


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

15  Port Allen, Kauai – EW
25  Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu – SE
28  Makapulapai, Molokai – ENE
m   Lanai – missing
31  Kamehamenui 1, Maui – SE
37  Puuloa, Big Island – NNW


Hawaii’s MountainsHere’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 cyclone 01C (Lala) far northwest…moving further away / Tropical Cyclone 02C (Moke) southeast

 

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cone graphic

 

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Clouds associated with TC Moke 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




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

429am, it’s clear here at my place here in Kula with a low temperature of 59 degrees, and the relative humidity is 85%

>>> Looking at the latest forecast models I see that once TC Moke goes by to the south of Hawaii, there’s yet another potential TC brewing in the eastern Pacific, which could spin it’s way towards Hawaii. It’s too early to get too hot under the collar about this, although I’ve got my eyes peeled, as I have for the last several days. I’ll certainly keep you abreast of any changes in this regard.

 

Interesting Weather Blog: Mauka ShowersAfter Lala?…We Have to Deal With a Moke?

 

Hawaii’s Weather Highlights…as of Saturday morning:  Trade winds will continue to strengthen today as Tropical Storm Moke moves from east to west, south of the islands. This system will deliver periods of rainfall to all islands from late tonight through Monday, but heaviest along windward and southeast slopes of the Big Island. A Flood Watch remains in effect for the Big Island. Typical drier trade wind weather will return by mid next week.

Weather Narrative..as of Saturday morning: Latest IR satellite imagery loop continues to show deep convection several hundred miles southeast of the Big Island, in association with Tropical Storm Moke. The center of Tropical Storm Moke was located roughly 500 miles southeast of Hilo and moving at around 12 mph to the west-northwest.

Closer to home, mainly clear skies prevail with few low clouds pushing against the island’s windward slopes. The Hilo sounding shows a fairly shallow subsidence inversion height near 5,000 feet, with relatively dry air both above and below the inversion. Thus, it comes as no surprise that the radar has been quiet, with only isolated light showers dotted over the region. Trade winds have begun to slowly ramp-up statewide the last several hours into a more moderate range, generally 10 to 20 mph, with gusts to around 30 mph at wind prone sites.

Local pressure gradients will further tighten today as Hawaii becomes sandwiched between the low pressure of Tropical Storm Moke (as it moves west, south of the islands), and a 1026 mb surface high far to the northeast. Winds across select areas of Maui County and the Big Island, mainly the typical trade wind prone areas in the lee of mountains or passes, should reach advisory level by this afternoon. A Wind Advisory has been issued for these areas and has a starting time of noon.

Hi-resolution model guidance indicates nearing High Wind Warning levels in the lee of the Kohala mountains on Big Island later this evening into tonight. If this comes to fruition, and winds increase above guidance, the advisory for this area would need to be upgraded. Leeward Koolau mountains and Waianae mountain areas on Oahu, may be added to the advisory as winds near criteria this evening into tonight. Trade winds remain strong through Sunday, then begin to diminish late Sunday into Monday morning.

By this evening, an area of deeper low level moisture from Tropical Storm Moke begins to approach the Big Island from the east. Showers will become numerous along windward and southeastern sections of the Big Island late tonight through Monday, with periods of embedded heavy rain. Both the GFS and ECMWF models share similar solutions, and the NHC track forecast for Moke has changed very little during the past several advisories. For this reason, forecast rain amounts were held steady overnight with no major changes.

A Flood Watch for the Big Island will go into effect tonight and continue through Monday afternoon. Rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches, locally up to 15 inches are possible over the windward and southeast slopes of the Big Island. It will not take a significant amount of rain to cause flash flooding, due to saturated grounds from recent heavy rain. For the remaining islands, showers will also become more numerous as deeper low level moisture increases from Tropical Storm Moke. However, totals should be much less with only up to a few inches of rainfall accumulation expected. Isolated amounts up to 4 inches are possible over the eastern portion of Maui, as moist easterly flow moves up the slope of Haleakala.

Early next week, as Tropical Storm Moke pushes further west, away from the islands, both the GFS and ECMWF models indicate some residual moisture and instability left behind in its wake. This could spell more wet weather for the area, especially over the higher terrain of Maui and the Big Island. Details will be worked out in the coming days. By Wednesday, a surface high northeast will once again dominate and bring a return of more typical trade wind weather.

 

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

 

Marine Conditions…as of Saturday morning: Trade winds will begin to strengthen across the coastal waters in response to Tropical Storm Moke passing south of the islands this weekend. A Small Craft Advisory (SCA) has been issued for the eastern two thirds of the coastal waters. The SCA has been expanded to include all nearshore waters from tonight through Sunday afternoon. Stronger winds and Moke generated wind wave swell may push significant high seas within Big Island’s eastern waters this weekend.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the offshore waters as the passage of Tropical Storm Moke introduces tropical storm force conditions to these waters from tonight through Sunday.

East-facing shore surf will gradually build this weekend in response to strengthening trades. Surf along east and south-facing shores will be impacted by a short period east-southeast swell generated by Tropical Storm Moke, as well as northeast wind wave swell as a result of the stronger trades. As Moke passes by to the south this weekend, a mounting southeast swell will veer and become south to southwest into Monday. This small, short period captured easterly fetch from TS Moke may push Big Island east surf to advisory levels tonight into Sunday. Moke’s wind field is forecast to be relatively small and, with potential minor deviations in forecast track, confidence for Big Island east-facing shore advisory surf remains low.

Surf along most south-facing shores will be slightly below summer norms, but still remain somewhat elevated due to a lingering small, long period south-southwest swell through the weekend. Another reinforcing small south swell is expected this weekend, which will hold these near summertime heights. A series of south swells next week on top of this resident swell, may potentially increase south surf to near advisory levels.

Small, medium to long period west to north swell originating from Hurricane Lala will arrive along north and west-facing coasts this weekend.

 

>>> Highest Temperature Friday, August 21, 2026 – 120 degrees at Death Valley, CA


>>>
Lowest Temperature Friday, August 21, 2026 – 32 degrees near Bynum, MT

 

Hawaii Wall Art Print, Tropical Oahu Landscape Photography, Lush Green Jungle Mountains, Palm Trees Road, Island Paradise Home Decor - Etsy


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


>>>
Northeastern Atlantic:

A strong non-tropical area of low pressure is located over the northeastern Atlantic several hundred miles west of the coast of Portugal. This system could acquire some subtropical or tropical characteristics later today or on Sunday while it moves east-southeastward at 10 to 15 mph toward Portugal and northwestern Spain. The opportunity for tropical or subtropical development should end Sunday night when the system encounters unfavorable environmental conditions.

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

 

>>> Central Subtropical Atlantic:

A trough of low pressure located over the central subtropical Atlantic a few hundred miles east of Bermuda is producing disorganized shower activity. Development of this system, if any, is expected to be slow to occur while it drifts westward through Sunday and then accelerates northward early next week.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…10 percent
* Formation chance through 7 days…low…20 percent

 

>>> Eastern Tropical Atlantic:

A tropical wave is expected to move off the west coast of Africa on Monday. An area of low pressure could form in association with the wave soon after it moves off the coast, and subsequent development will be possible while the system moves westward at 15 to 20 mph across the eastern and central tropical Atlantic through the end of next week.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent
* Formation chance through 7 days…low…30 percent

 

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: There are no active tropical cyclones

>>> Southwest of Mexico:

Invest 92E

A broad area of low pressure located several hundred miles southwest of the coast of southwestern Mexico is producing a large area of showers and thunderstorms that are starting to show signs of organization. This system is moving west-northwestward and is likely to become a tropical depression by the end of this weekend or early next week. This system is likely to merge with, or absorb, the disturbance to its west (EP91) by late Sunday.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…medium…60 percent
* Formation chance through 7 days…high…80 percent

 

>>> Central East Pacific:

Invest 91E

A broad area of low pressure located well to the south-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms. Environmental conditions appear favorable for gradual development, and a tropical depression could form before it merges with the disturbance to its east (EP92) by late Sunday.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…medium…50 percent 
* Formation chance through 7 days…medium…50 percent 

 

>>> Well southwest of southwestern Mexico:

Another area of low pressure is expected to develop well south of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula during the middle portion of next week. Some slow development is expected thereafter while the system moves generally west-northwestward.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent
* Formation chance through 7 days…medium…40 percent

 

Central North Pacific:

Tropical Cyclone 01C (Lala)…is located about 385 miles east-northeast of Kure Atoll

LALA STILL A LARGE HURRICANE

According to the NHC advisory number 41…

Lala is moving toward the northwest near 10 mph. This motion is expected to continue at a slower speed during the next few days. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 80 mph with higher gusts. Gradual weakening is forecast during the next several days, and Lala’s winds could decrease below hurricane force by early Sunday. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 255 miles. The estimated minimum central pressure is 979 mb (28.91 inches).

 

Tropical Cyclone 02C (Moke)…is located about 470 miles southeast of Hilo, Hawaii

MOKE STRENGTHENS A LITTLE …HEAVY RAINFALL AND GUSTY WINDS EXPECTED TO BEGIN TONIGHT ON THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII

According to the NHC advisory number 9…

Moke is moving toward the west-northwest near 12 mph and this general motion is expected during the next several days. On the forecast track, the center of the storm is expected to pass south of the Big Island of Hawaii tonight and early Sunday, then well south of the smaller main Hawaiian Islands early next week. Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 50 mph with higher gusts. Some additional strengthening is expected today, but gradual weakening is forecast beginning Sunday. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 115 miles from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 994 mb (29.36 inches).

cone graphic

 

 Northwest Pacific Ocean:

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Tropical Cyclone 17W (Saudel)…is located approximately 1025 NM east-southeast of Kadena AB

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Tropical Cyclone 18W (Narra)…is located approximately 118 NM east of Hanoi, Vietnam

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Tropical Cyclone 19W…is located approximately 543 NM west of Navsta Guam

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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:
The Changing Shape of Extreme Rain in the U.S.

Extreme precipitation events are among the most damaging natural disasters and a major concern in our changing climate. In the U.S., since 1980, the most destructive events alone have caused over 2800 deaths and $700 billion in damages. But what is the total area of the country affected by these events each year? And how have these patterns changed over the last several decades? In a recent study in Geophysical Research Letters, led by researchers at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, which is part of the Columbia Climate School, the authors discovered some unexpected trends.

Extreme rainfall events that cover large areas, including hurricanes, atmospheric rivers and thunderstorm complexes, are a growing threat, but many studies on extreme precipitation focus on the statistics of rainfall recorded at individual locations, like weather stations. This new study takes a slightly different approach, looking at not only when heavy rainfall events occur, but also how much nearby area was affected by the same event on the same day.

For example, a small-area extreme rainfall event may result in a localized flash flood in just a few towns, but large-area extreme events like Hurricane Ida in 2021 can easily cause destruction across entire states at once. Looking at the statistics of extreme precipitation events across both space and time has yielded some surprising results. For example, the average weather station in the eastern half of the U.S. is recording an increasing number of days with extreme rainfall since 1980; at the same time, we are also observing that extreme rainfall events might be decreasing in frequency. How can both findings be true?

Read More: Columbia Climate School