The latest update to this website was at 1230pm Tuesday (HST)

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

0.70  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.74  Punaluu Pump, Oahu
0.01  Kamalo, Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.01  Hanaula, Maui
0.18  Ahumoa, Big Island

The following numbers represent the strongest wind gusts (mph) as of Tuesday afternoon:

28  Lihue, Kauai – SE
22  Kuaokala, Oahu – SE 
15  Keopukaloa, Molokai – SE
18  Lanai 1,  Lanai – SW
27  Na Kula, Maui – E
25  South Point, Big Island – ENE

Hawaii’s Mountains – Here’s a link to the live webcams on the summit of our tallest mountain Mauna Kea (~13,800 feet high) on the Big Island of Hawaii, and atop the Haleakala Crater (~10,023 feet) 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

A deepening trough of low pressure northwest of the state

 

https://www.weather.gov/images/hfo/satellite/Hawaii_IR_loop.gif

Increasing clouds moving into the state from the northwest

 

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, especially near Kauai…some are heavy 

 

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

 

~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

 

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

It’s partly cloudy early this morning here at my location, with a chilly low temperature of 47.5 degrees, and the relative humidity is 58%.

 

NWS Weather Prediction Center as of Tuesday morning: 

Prolonged and Powerful Kona Storm To Bring Numerous Impacts Across Hawaii This Week into Next Weekend

A high-impact and potentially life-threatening weather pattern will unfold across Hawaii this week, as a powerful and slow-moving Kona Low develops northwest of the state. This system is forecast to bring a prolonged period of torrential rainfall, areas of flash flooding, damaging “Kona” winds, and potentially severe thunderstorms. Global guidance, particularly the ECMWF and GFS models, continue to show good consensus on the evolution of this system.

The combination of a deep upper-level trough and a plume of deep tropical moisture will result in statewide impacts beginning Tuesday across the western islands, spreading eastward and persisting through the upcoming weekend and into early next week. Tropical moisture (PWAT values 1.75-2.00″ will surge northward across the western islands starting Tuesday. Kauai will experience the initial arrival of heavy rain and embedded thunderstorms, with the activity spreading eastward to Oahu and Maui by Wednesday. Friday into Saturday, PWAT values peak above 2.0″, with the moisture plume/maximum PWAT axis shifting across the central and eastern islands on Saturday, then lingering along the Big Island Sunday into early next week.

By the weekend, the concern will be with the likely additional heavy rainfall overtop already saturated soils, and therefore the risk of significant flash flooding statewide. Meanwhile the potential for strong to severe thunderstorms peaks Friday into Saturday.

Lastly, the latest model output continues to indicate an extreme to climatologically rare event for the month of March in Hawaii. This as PWAT values are forecast to exceed the 99th percentile of climatology for March across the entire island chain. Several ensemble members are forecasting an ‘extreme’ event well outside the model’s historical distribution, which provides high confidence in the potential for considerable flash flooding.

 

Weather Wit of the day:  Weekend Forecast – “Rain followed by scattered complaints”

 

>>> Highest Temperature Monday, March 9, 2026 – 95 degrees near Linn, TX
>>> Lowest Temperature Tuesday, March 10, 2026 – minus 2 degrees at Cut Bank, MT

 

>>> I’m going to keep my cell phone and other devices charged up as much as possible, between now and when the worst of this upcoming storm activity is finished with us.

 

> Flood Watch entire state through Saturday
> Prolonged heavy rain event through the weekend could lead to significant flooding especially over
the leeward of the islands.
> Western half: Strong South winds/gusts to 45 mph and possible severe thunderstorms Wednesday
> An even stronger disturbance statewide is expected Friday into Saturday with major flooding and damaging winds expected.

 

Hawaii’s Broad Brush Weather Overview…as of 946am Tuesday:  A powerful kona storm is expected to affect the state beginning today into the weekend, bringing several potential hazards to the islands, including significant flash flooding, damaging winds, and strong to severe thunderstorms. Flooding concerns begin for Kauai today, Oahu tonight, then expands eastward across the island chain later in the week. The potential for strong to severe thunderstorms and significant flash flooding is expected to increase late in the week and into the weekend.

Short Term Update…as of 939am Tuesday: A broad area of showers continues to edge over the western end of the state this morning. Rainfall rates have been manageable so far, with most areas across Kauai only receiving a few hundredths of an inch over the last few hours. This wide band of moisture with widespread showers and embedded thunderstorms on the east side of the broad low to the far northwest of the state, will continue to move eastward to encompass Kauai today and Oahu late tonight.

Due to a combination of persistent light to moderate rainfall saturating soils and periods of heavy rain in heavy showers and thunderstorms, flooding concerns will ramp-up through the day and into tonight and Wednesday for the western end of the state. See the discussion below from earlier this morning for details on how this kona storm is expected to evolve throughout the week and its expected impacts.

Hawaii’s Weather Details…as of 342am Tuesday: At the surface, a low pressure system is located about 1,100 miles to the northwest of Kauai. An associated trough with heavy showers and embedded thunderstorms resides just to the west of Kauai and Niihau. These surface features will drive much of the impactful weather that will affect the islands over the next several days. Winds today will strengthen and veer southerly for the western half of the state and southeasterly for the eastern half.

A broad swath of deep tropical moisture with precipitable water values (PWats) ranging from 1.5 to 2 inches will be drawn up in this southerly flow (currently within the trough seen to the west of Niihau) and move over the western end of the state today into Wednesday. The mid and upper levels of the atmosphere will make this weeks event particularly threatening for the state. Large scale, potent troughing aloft with smaller troughs rotating around the broader trough will support large scale ascent across the area. The broad upper trough will move southeast towards our area and push the associated surface trough and moisture east.

Together, these ingredients will support periods of heavy rainfall with embedded thunderstorms and gusty winds. Impacts today and tonight are expected to be focused primarily across the western half of the state. By Wednesday, the moisture will spread to Maui County, and then the Big Island by Wednesday night, where heavy showers and thunderstorms will be moving into the south and southeast slopes.

Flooding concerns will then continue statewide as the week progresses, particularly where the heavier rainfall persists over the same areas for multiple days. The axis of deep tropical moisture will spread out across the island chain, with model guidance showing PWats exceeding 2 inches. Prior to this, soils will already be saturated, increasing the likelihood that additional rainfall will produce rapid runoff and dangerous flooding conditions.

While thunderstorms are expected today through Thursday, the environment will become increasingly favorable for severe thunderstorms Thursday night through Saturday morning, as the dynamics become more supportive. Model guidance is also consistently showing significant upper level divergence, which increases the chances of strong to severe thunderstorms. These environmental conditions will support strong rotating updrafts.

In addition to the rainfall threat, southerly winds are forecast to strengthen through the week, with the strongest winds expected Friday into the weekend. This pattern will lead to damaging downsloping winds on north through east sections of the islands, capable of downing trees and power lines. Damaging winds will also be possible with any storms that develop as well.

For the summits of the Big Island, periods of heavy snow with significant accumulations will become possible later in the week through the weekend, likely requiring the issuance of a winter storm watch/warning.

Long range guidance indicates that unsettled weather could potentially continue into next week. Residents and interests across the state should continue monitoring forecasts as the weather evolves.

 

Here’s a near real-time Wind Profile of the Pacific Ocean – Zoom Earth – along with a Closer View of the islands / Vog map animation / 8-Day Precipitation model

 

https://www.weather.gov/images/hfo/graphics/npac.gif 

 

Hawaii’s Marine Environment…as of 342am Tuesday:  A powerful kona storm is expected to bring heavy rain, thunderstorms, and rough seas to the islands and adjacent waters beginning today, and lasting at least into the weekend. Winds will veer southerly and increase to fresh to locally strong speeds through late this week as the kona storm approaches. A Small Craft Advisory (SCA) will go into effect for waters north and west of Kauai this morning. Later this week, possibly as early as Thursday night, winds will approach, or possibly reach, gale force for portions of the area. These strong winds will slowly creep eastward heading into the weekend.

A series of small, medium- to long-period west-northwest swells will bring small surf to north and west facing shores through the rest of the week. The first of these will build today and peak on Wednesday, resulting in a slight bump in surf along north and west-facing shores. Another small, medium-period north swell is also possible late this week.

Choppy surf along east-facing shores will gradually trend downward, falling below seasonal levels by mid-week as winds veer southerly. Surf along south-facing shores will remain small for the next couple of days, though will become rough and choppy as southerly winds increase. South shore surf will rapidly build late this week as southerly winds increase even more, and a series of small, long-period south swells move through.

 

What To Do In Kauai When It Rains



World-wide Tropical Cyclone Activity

 

Atlantic Ocean:  There are no active tropical cyclones

Caribbean Sea:  There are no active tropical cyclones

Gulf of America:  There are no active tropical cyclones

 

Northeastern Pacific:  There are no active tropical cyclones

North Central Pacific: There are no active tropical cyclones

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

 

Northwest Pacific Ocean:  There are no active tropical cyclones

Southwest Pacific Ocean:  There are no active tropical cyclones

North Indian Ocean:  There are no active tropical cyclones

South Indian Ocean:  There are no active tropical cyclones

Arabian Sea:  There are no active tropical cyclones

 

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

 

>>> Here’s a link to the Pacific Disaster Center’s (PDC Global) Weather Wall website

 

Interesting:  A study in Stardust: Massive Binary Stars Emit Tiny Carbon Particles

It’s fitting that Yale junior Donglin Wu’s first major scientific journal article as lead author focuses on stardust — tiny solid grains that form from stellar winds, drift into interstellar space, and may eventually become parts of new planets.

Wu has long been in awe of the majesty and mystery of stars. As a kid, in Shanghai, he would stare at the heavens in wonder of what it all meant. He brings that same spirit of curiosity to his studies at Yale, especially in his work with Héctor Arce, a professor of astronomy in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and Daisuke Nagai, a professor of physics and astronomy in FAS.

“Astronomy and astrophysics connect to something very romantic,” Wu says. “You look up at the night sky and think about how immense it is. There are so many things that are still unknown — things that are difficult to observe, things that are rare.”

Read More at: Yale University