The latest update to this website was at 851pm Wednesday (HST)

 

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

1.36  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.34  Poamoho RG 1, Oahu
0.18  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.28  West Wailuaiki, Maui 
0.34  Pahoa, Big Island

The following numbers represent the strongest wind gusts (mph) as of Wednesday evening:

33  Lihue, Kauai – E
36  Palehua, Oahu – NE
45  Makapulapai, Molokai – ESE
21  Lanai 1,  Lanai – NE
44  Na Kula, Maui – ENE
68  Puuloa, Big Island – NE

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 cold front west 

 

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

Variable low clouds over the state, mostly windward…high clouds arriving from the west

 

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…mostly windward

 

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

It’s mostly clear early this morning here at my place, with calm winds, and a very chilly low temperature of 44 degrees , and the relative humidity is 73%.

8pm, clear to partly cloudy here in upper Kula. The winds are basically still with the relativity humidity 64%

854pm, it’s mostly clear overhead, with some clouds to the west. The temperature has dropped to 52.7 degrees here at my place, with the relative humidity 66%

 

Weather Wit of the day:  Snowplow – A device that gives you unwinterrupted driving

 

>>> Highest Temperature Wednesday, February 18, 2026 – 93 near Hidalgo, TX
>>> Lowest Temperature Wednesday, February 18, 2026 – minus 15 near East Glacier Park, MT

 

Hawaii’s Broad Brush Weather Overview…as of 834pm Wednesday:  A breezy to windy trade wind pattern will gradually relax through the rest of the week. Moisture embedded in the trades will allow showers to favor windward and mountain areas. An overall wetter pattern is possible this weekend as additional moisture is drawn over the island chain.

Hawaii’s Weather Details…as of 319pm Wednesday:  At the surface, strong high pressure remains centered north-northeast of the islands, with a front located northwest of Kauai. Winds across the state are at or very near advisory levels, which are sustained speeds of 30-39 mph and/or gusts 50-57 mph, especially over higher terrain, passes, and areas immediately south through west of mountains. Latest observations show that the strongest gusts have occurred over the typically windier locations of Molokai, Maui County and the Big Island, with Gales in the windier waters and channels surrounding Maui County and the Big Island.

A mid-level dry airmass will remain in place in support of a strong inversion. Gradient winds are expected to remain nearly unchanged as the surface high remains to our north, and the front remains nearly stationary to our west. Based on this, the Wind Advisory has been extended in time through 6am Thursday. By Thursday afternoon, winds will begin to slowly decrease, but still remain locally strong throughout the rest of the week.

As far as precipitation is concerned, little change is expected over the next few days, with showers and clouds embedded within the trades favoring windward and mountain areas. Things begin to get a bit more interesting over the weekend, as an overall pattern shift may lead to few days of wet and unstable trades this weekend into early next week.

Latest guidance remains in good agreement that moist southeast flow in the lower levels could expand moisture over the islands this weekend, then stall it over the state into Sunday. This is being closely monitored for potential flooding that could develop in this scenario. Forecast confidence will largely depend on the expected strength of trades, which will in turn modulate forward motion of showers.

Guidance indicates that the islands could reside somewhere along the gradient between stronger trades to the east, and light southeast flow to the west (where exactly this sets up could make for a large difference in rainfall potential for the islands). Still too early for specifics and what impacts we will face. Please continue to monitor forecasts in the coming days as details begin to iron out.

 

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 

 

High Surf Advisory until 6pm Thursday for east facing shores
of Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and the Big Island.

Wind Advisory until 6am Thursday for Big Island Interior-
Big Island North-Big Island South-Big Island Southeast-Kahoolawe-
Kohala-Koolau Leeward-Lanai Leeward-Lanai Mauka-Lanai South-
Lanai Windward-Maui Central Valley North-Maui Central Valley
South-Maui Windward West-Molokai North-Molokai Southeast-Molokai
West-Molokai Windward-South Haleakala-Waianae Mountains-Windward
Haleakala.
Small Craft Advisory until 6pm Thursday for Big Island
Leeward Waters-Big Island Southeast Waters-Big Island Windward
Waters-Kaiwi Channel-Kauai Channel-Kauai Leeward Waters-Kauai
Northwest Waters-Kauai Windward Waters-Maalaea Bay-Maui County
Leeward Waters-Maui County Windward Waters-Oahu Leeward Waters-
Oahu Windward Waters.
Gale Warning until 6am Thursday for Pailolo Channel-Alenuihaha Channel.

 

Hawaii’s Marine Environment…as of 319pm Wednesday:  Strong high pressure will remain far northeast of the state during the next couple of days, as a slow moving front approaches from the west. The front will stall out and weaken into a trough just a few hundred miles west of the islands this weekend, with a new high building in to the distant north. A Gale Warning has been extended for the Pailolo and Alenuihaha Channels, with a Small Craft Advisory (SCA) in effect for all other waters through Thursday afternoon. The trade winds and seas are then expected to gradually lower Friday through the weekend. Some unsettled weather is expected over the weekend as an upper level trough moves over the state. Isolated thunderstorms are expected over the offshore waters and may be possible over the coastal waters as well, especially windward waters.

Surf will hold relatively steady along east facing shores during the next couple of days, and as a result the High Surf Advisory (HSA) is in effect through Thursday afternoon. As the trade winds gradually ease Thursday into the weekend, surf along east facing shores will gradually lower below HSA thresholds.

Surf along north and west facing shores will remain well below seasonal levels through the weekend, and surf along south facing shores will remain small.

Forerunners from a large, long-period north to north-northeast swell are forecast to arrive Sunday night, then rapidly build to near warning levels along north facing shores Monday through Tuesday. Also due to the northerly direction, elevated surf heights are expected along west Maui and west Big Island near Kua Bay. Surf heights are expected to reach advisory threshold for west Big Island on Monday and could reach advisory threshold for west Maui as well. Lastly, due to the large swell and northerly direction (010-030 degrees), heavy surges are expected along north facing harbors such as Kahului and Hilo harbors.

 

THE 15 BEST Things to Do in Maui (2026) - Must-See Attractions



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:  Even in Antarctica, Insects Are Eating Microplastics

Microscopic particles of plastic have been found across the Earth, from the clouds over Mount Fuji to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea. Now, scientists have found microplastics in the bellies of Antarctic midges, the only insects found exclusively in Antarctica.

Microplastics are shed by synthetic fabrics and rubber tires, or by plastic bags, bottles, and other goods as they break down. Carried by winds or ocean currents, these plastic particles have been scattered across Antarctica and are now showing up in snow and seawater. There is some evidence that penguins and seabirds are consuming microplastics, and, according to a recent study, so are Antarctic midges.

For the study, researchers examined 40 midge larvae gathered from around the Antarctic Peninsula and analyzed the contents of their guts. While scientists detected just two plastic fragments in the dozens of larvae studied, they say the results are striking given that plastic pollution is so much scarcer in Antarctica than across the rest of the planet.

Read More: Yale Environment 360

Image: Adult Antarctic midges.