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

 

The last update to this website was Thursday evening at 550pm HST


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

0.12  N Wailua Ditch, Kauai
0.69  Kaala, Oahu
0.01  Makapulapai, Molokai
0.13  Lanai City, Lanai
0.41  Ulupalakua, Maui
0.17  South Point, Big Island


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

18  Lawai, Kauai – E  
29  Kuaokala, Oahu – NNE
24  Molokai AP, Molokai – NE  
23  Lanai 1, Lanai – NE
28  Kealia Pond, Maui – NNE
29  Kealakomo, Big Island – ESE


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. 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

 

https://cdn.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES18/ABI/SECTOR/tpw/13/GOES18-TPW-13-900x540.gif

Thunderstorms in the deeper tropics 

 

https://cdn.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES18/ABI/SECTOR/hi/GEOCOLOR/20261271810-20261280200-GOES18-ABI-HI-GEOCOLOR-600x600.gif

High clouds southeast…surface low to the northeast 

 

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

Showers locally…not many

 

https://www.weather.gov/wwamap/png/hfo.png

Please open this link to see details on the current Watches, Warnings and Advisories noted above




~~~
Hawaii Weather Narrative
~~~

 

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

544am, it’s mostly clear with some clouds around the edges here in Kula, with a low temperature of 50.5 degrees here at my place…with the relative humidity 82 percent.

1236pm, just back from playing Pickleball in Makawao, which as always was very fun! It’s sunny to partly cloudy, with cloudiness over and around the mountains.

5pm, partly cloudy in general here on Maui, with a mix of clear and cloudy areas too.

 

>>> Highest Temperature Thursday, May 7, 2026 – 104 degrees at Death Valley, CA
>>> Lowest Temperature Thursday, May 7, 2026 – 10 degrees at Leadville, CO

 

Hawaii’s Broad Brush Weather Overview…as of Thursday afternoon:  Gentle trade winds will hold into Friday. Friday will be cloudier as upper level clouds increase, and a band of moisture moves in from the east increasing clouds and showers for windward and mountain areas. Saturday and Sunday the lingering band of moisture and weak upper level instability will allow for an increase chance of clouds and showers developing along windward and mountain areas. Breezy trade winds will also develop as a broad surface ridge builds north of the state. The ridge will continue to strengthen north of the state next week, resulting in breezy to locally wind trade winds in a more dry and stable atmosphere.

Weather Details for the Hawaiian Islands…as of Thursday afternoon: Satellite and radar imagery show some clouds and showers have built over interior and mountain areas, as a hybrid sea breeze and trade wind pattern continues. Expect some leeward areas to clear out overnight, as land breeze develops shortly after sunset. Light to gentle trade winds are expected to continue through Friday morning, so look for another repeat of sea breezes developing Friday morning,  prompting clouds and showers to develop over leeward and interior areas.

The one limiting factor for Friday morning and afternoon would be the increase in upper level clouds, that could reduce afternoon convection as the subtropical jet stream moves overhead. A weak trough just east of the Big Island will track northwest early Friday morning, that will increase the chance of precipitation for windward and mountain areas, particularly for the Big Island and Maui County. The high northwest of the state will jog southeast by Friday afternoon, as the weak surface trough lifts north, allowing trade winds to gradually strengthen to gentle to breezy speeds.

Saturday through the weekend a weak upper level trough will move over the state, as a pool of moisture remains over the state, that could make for taller clouds and more moderate trade wind showers developing over windward and mountain areas, spilling over to leeward areas as inversion heights become more elevated.

A more robust, vertically stacked ridge is forecast to spread in from the west early next week. This will provide greater stability, in tandem with a relatively drier atmosphere. Thus, overall statewide shower activity will be on the decline going into the middle of next week. Trade wind speeds are also expected to become more breezy to locally windy, as a strong surface high develops north of the state.


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

 

Marine Environmental Conditions…as of Thursday afternoon: A weak trough east of the islands will keep trade winds light to locally moderate across all local waters through Friday. By the weekend, a surface ridge building northwest of the state, will bring a return of moderate to locally fresh trades. A Small Craft Advisory may be needed for the typical windy waters surrounding Maui and the Big Island by early next week, as the high expands eastward.

A moderate, long-period northwest swell will peak for Kauai and Oahu, and continue to build and peak overnight for Maui and the Big Island. Elevated surf along north and west facing beaches will gradually decline Friday into the weekend as the swell fades.

A small, long-period south swell should provide a small bump in south shore surf through the weekend. Another small, long-period south swell is possible mid-next week.

Surf along east-facing shores will remain below normal during the next several days, due to the lack of strong trades over and upstream of the islands. East shore surf will gradually increase this weekend into early next week as trades make a slow return.

 

 

Kauai's Best Family Friendly Beach - Vagabond3


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 cyclones

>>> Gulf of Mexico: There are no active tropical cyclones

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

 

>>> Eastern Pacific: There are no active tropical cyclones

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

>>> Central Pacific: There are no active tropical cyclones

Here’s the link to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC)

 

>>> Northwest Pacific Ocean: 

Tropical Cyclone 05W (Hagupit) is located approximately 125 NM east-southeast of Yap

https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/products/05W_080000sair.jpg

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

 

>>> Southwest Pacific Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones

>>> North and South Indian Oceans / Arabian Sea: There are no active tropical cyclones



Interesting: 
Turning Plastic Waste Into Clean Fuel Using Sunlight

Scientists are advancing a promising solution to two of the world’s biggest challenges – plastic pollution and clean energy – by transforming waste plastics into valuable fuels using sunlight.

A new paper led by Adelaide University PhD candidate Xiao Lu explores how solar-powered technologies can convert discarded plastics into hydrogen, syngas and other useful industrial chemicals, offering a pathway toward a more sustainable, circular economy.

Globally, more than 460 million tonnes of plastic are produced each year, with millions of tonnes leaking into the environment. At the same time, the urgent need to reduce reliance on fossil fuels has driven the search for cleaner energy sources.

The research, published in Chem Catalysis, highlights how plastics – rich in carbon and hydrogen – can be repurposed as an untapped resource rather than waste.

Read More: Adelaide University