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

 

The latest update to this website was at 628am Sunday morning HST


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

0.65  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.03  Moanalua RG, Oahu
0.06  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.45  Puu Kukui, Maui
0.38  Pahoa, Big Island


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

20  Lawai, Kauai – ENE
36  Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu – SE
28  Makapulapai, Molokai – ENE
m   Lanai – missing
48  Kealaloloa Rg, Maui – NNE
52  Puuloa, Big Island – W


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 cyclone 01C (Lala) far northwest…moving farther away / Tropical Cyclone 02C (Moke) south-southeast of Hawaii / Tropical Cyclone o9E (Iselle) offshore from Mexico although will be heading west-northwest

 

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cone graphic

cone graphic

 

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Clouds associated with TC Moke south-southeast

 

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Localized showers…some heavy around the Big Island

 

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

426am, it’s clear here at my place here in Kula with a low temperature of 57 degrees, and the relative humidity is 85%

 

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

 

Hawaii’s Weather Highlights…as of Sunday morning:  Trades will remain locally strong today as Tropical Storm Moke moves westward, several hundred miles south of the islands. This system will begin to deliver periods of rainfall to Big Island this morning, Maui County by this afternoon, then Oahu and Kauai by late this evening. The heaviest and most widespread rainfall is forecast along the windward and southeast slopes of Big Island. A Flood Watch remains in effect for Big Island through Monday night. A Wind Advisory is in effect for parts of Big Island and Maui County through 6pm this evening. Drier trade wind weather returns Tuesday.

Weather Narrative..as of Sunday morning: Latest satellite loop shows deep convection from Tropical Storm Moke flaring up roughly 200 miles south southeast of Hilo. Low level clouds and moisture on the northern periphery of the cyclone can also be seen racing westward towards Big Island at a steady clip. Radar is picking on these bands and depicts scattered light to embedded moderate shower activity.

Radar estimated rain rates remain unimpressive though, mainly below a tenth of an inch an hour. By early afternoon, the high resolution model guidance all indicate a rather stark increase in rainfall coverage and intensity, along eastern portions of Big Island. It will not take a significant amount of rain to cause flash flooding due to saturated grounds from recent heavy rain from TC Lala.

Thus, a Flood Watch will remain in effect for Big Island through Monday afternoon. Rainfall amounts for the event appear in good order, as NHC’s track for Tropical Storm Moke barely budged from the previous advisory package. Storm total forecast for windward and southeast Big Island remains at 5 to 10 inches with locally up to 15 inches, 3 to 6 inches for eastern Maui, and generally 1 to 2 inches elsewhere across the island chain.

Locally strong trade winds persisted overnight as Hawaii remained sandwiched between low pressure of Tropical Storm Moke south of the state, and a 1025 millibar surface high to the northeast. A Wind Advisory remains in effect through this evening for portions of Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, and Big Island. Strongest sustained winds will continue to occur over mountain ridges, gaps and where winds blow downslope off higher terrain. Observed speeds in these areas have generally been sustained 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 55 mph. Winds across the ridge tops of the Koolau and Waianae mountain ranges may near advisory criteria later today as trade wind showers and/or deeper moisture bands from the northern periphery of Moke begin to arrive.

Trade winds across all islands should begin to ease back to moderate by tonight. Tuesday through the end of the upcoming work week, drier air will move in from the east, and typical trade winds/showers should 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 Sunday morning: Northeast winds have strengthened across the Hawaiian Island coastal waters, mainly around windward Big Island, as a result of Tropical Storm (TS) Moke passing west across the far southern offshore waters. Moke’s low level center of circulation was approximately located 225 nautical miles south southeast of South Point, Big Island. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the offshore waters.

Intense convection associated with this storm is flaring up north of its center and will impact the southeastern offshore waters today. An all-water Small Craft Advisory (SCA) is in effect to account for fresh to locally strong trades, between surface high pressure located far northeast of the islands and TS Moke. Higher winds and short period wind wave swell generated by TS Moke may push up significant sea heights across Big Island windward waters today.

East-facing shore surf will build today in response to strengthening trades. Surf along east and south-facing shores will be impacted by a short period east southeast swell generated by TS Moke, as well as northeast wind wave swell as a result of these stronger trades. As Moke passes by to the south today and Monday a mounting southeast swell will veer and become south to southwest. This small, short period captured easterly fetch from TS Moke may push Big Island east surf to near advisory levels later today.

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. A medium to long period south swell is expected to arrive Monday and Tuesday, which will maintain these near summertime heights.

Small, medium to long period west to north swell originating from Hurricane Lala, is passing around north and west-facing coasts today.

 

>>> Highest Temperature Saturday, August 22, 2026 – 121 degrees at Death Valley, CA


>>> Lowest Temperature Saturday, August 22, 2026 – 34 degrees near near Kirk, OR

 

The wild side of Hawaii ????? I've been to Hawaii so many times now and these islands just mean something different to me every visit, they really have a special place in


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 non-tropical area of low pressure located a few hundred miles west of the coast of Portugal is producing limited shower activity. This system has only a slight chance of acquiring subtropical characteristics later today while it moves eastward to east- northeastward at 10 to 15 mph toward Portugal and northwestern Spain. By tonight, the low will encounter unfavorable environmental conditions, and further development is not expected.

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

 

>>> Central Subtropical Atlantic:

Invest 95L

A broad area of low pressure located a few hundred miles southeast of Bermuda continues to produce disorganized shower and thunderstorm activity. Some development of this system is possible during the next few days as it drifts northwestward today and then accelerates northward early this week.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…20 percent
* Formation chance through 7 days…low…30 percent

 

>>> Eastern Tropical Atlantic:

A tropical wave is expected to move off the west coast of Africa on Monday, and an area of low pressure could form in association with the wave early this week. Environmental conditions are forecast to be marginally conducive for development, and a tropical depression could form by the middle to latter portions of the week while the system moves generally westward at 15 to 20 mph across the eastern and central tropical Atlantic.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent
* Formation chance through 7 days…medium…50 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: 

Tropical Cyclone 09E (Iselle)…is located about 595 miles south-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California

TROPICAL STORM ISELLE FORMS WELL OFFSHORE OF MEXICO

According to the NHC advisory number 1…

Iselle is moving toward the west-northwest near 12 mph. A northwestward motion is expected through Monday, followed by a gradual turn back toward the west-northwest on Tuesday. Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast during the next couple of days, and Iselle could become a hurricane late Monday or early Tuesday. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles (165 km) from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1003 mb (29.62 inches).

cone graphic

 

>>> Central East Pacific:

Invest 91E

Disorganized showers and thunderstorms are persisting with a broad area of low pressure located well to the south-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula. Environmental conditions could support the development of a short-lived tropical depression during the next day or two before it interacts or merges with the disturbance to its northeast (EP92).

* Formation chance through 48 hours…medium…40 percent 
* Formation chance through 7 days…medium…40 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 this week. Some slow development is expected thereafter, and a tropical depression could form by the end of the week while the system moves generally west-northwestward.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent
* Formation chance through 7 days…medium…60 percent

 

Central North Pacific:

Tropical Cyclone 01C (Lala)…is located about 365 miles northeast of Kure Atoll

LALA SLIGHTLY WEAKER OVER OPEN WATERS

According to the NHC advisory number 45…

Lala has somewhat decelerated, and is now moving toward the west-northwest near 5 mph. This general motion is expected to continue for the next several days. Maximum sustained winds are near 65 mph with higher gusts. Gradual weakening is forecast during the next several days. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 988 mb (29.18 inches).

 

Tropical Cyclone 02C (Moke)…is located about 310 miles south of Hilo, Hawaii

HEAVY RAINFALL AND GUSTY WINDS EXPECTED TO SPREAD OVER THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII TODAY

According to the NHC advisory number 13…

Moke is moving toward the west near 15 mph, and this general motion is expected to continue 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 on Sunday, then well south of the smaller main Hawaiian Islands early next week. Maximum sustained winds remain near 45 mph with higher gusts. Moke is forecast to lose some strength during the next few days and could become a post-tropical cyclone by midweek. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 90 miles from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1002 mb (29.59 inches) based on data from an Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft.

cone graphic

 

 Northwest Pacific Ocean:

https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/products/abpwsair.jpg

 

Tropical Cyclone 17W (Saudel)…is located approximately 675 NM east-southeast of Kadena AB

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Tropical Cyclone 18W (Narra)…is located approximately 127 NM east-southeast of Hanoi, Vietnam

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Tropical Cyclone 19W…is located approximately 473 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