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

 

The latest update to this website was at 603am Friday HST


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

0.80  Kilohana, Kauai
0.31  Schofield East, Oahu
0.64  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.00  Lanai
1.29  Puu Kukui, Maui
1.62  Kawainui Stream, Big Island


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

38  Lihue, Kauai – NE
42  Kuaokala, Oahu – ENE
33  Makapulapai, Molokai – E 
39  Lanai 1, Lanai – NE
46  Kealaloloa Rg, Maui – NE
44  Puulua, Big Island – NE


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. 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

 

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Cold front far northwest…thunderstorms in the deeper tropics to our south 

 

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Variably cloudy 

 

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Localized showers mostly windward…although not exclusively 

 

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




~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

 

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

It’s mostly clear here in Maui County, with calm winds at my place, and with a very chilly low of 49 degrees and the relative humidity is 68%


>>> Highest Temperature Thursday, May 21, 2026 – 104 degrees at Stovepipe Wells, CA
>>> Lowest Temperature Friday, May 22, 2026 – 13 degrees near Dubois, WY

 

NOAA predicts active Pacific hurricane season as El Niño returns

NOAA is predicting a 70 percent chance of above-normal activity in both the eastern and central Pacific basins this year. In the eastern Pacific, forecasters expect between 15 and 22 named storms, including up to 14 hurricanes, and as many as nine major hurricanes. In the central Pacific — the region that includes Hawaii — NOAA predicts between five and 13 tropical cyclones this season.

NOAA Administrator Dr. Neil Jacobs said El Niño is one of the biggest factors behind this year’s forecast.

“In the central and eastern Pacific, the El Niño reduces the vertical wind shear, essentially the opposite of the Atlantic, which is why we’re expecting an above-average season, in addition to the warmer sea surface temperatures,” Jacobs said.

Lower wind shear allows storms to organize and strengthen more easily over the Pacific Ocean.

Compared to last year’s outlook — when the central Pacific forecast called for just one to four storms and the eastern Pacific expected 12 to 18 named storms — this year’s projections point to a more active season overall.

 

Hawaii’s Broad Brush Weather Overview…as of Friday morning:  Breezy to locally windy trades will weaken slightly through Monday, then hold at moderate strengthen through the remainder of next week. Showers will favor windward and mountain areas, with little rainfall over most leeward sections.

Weather Details for the Hawaiian Islands…as of Friday morning:  Winds have remained elevated at advisory levels in the windiest spots of the Maui County and the Big Island. Various models suggests winds will continue to be elevated today, so the Wind Advisory has been extended through the day.

A 1033 millibar high remains far north of the islands, and is driving strong trade winds into our area. The high has weakened a bit overnight and is more weakening is expected through the weekend. Although winds are a little weaker, they continue at advisory levels.

The high pressure system will remain in place to the far north of the islands, but will gradually weaken through the weekend. This in turn will cause our local winds to slowly subside, returning to moderate levels Tuesday.

A stable airmass over the islands will limit shower activity, with showers focused over the typical windward and mountain areas, as well as over the Kona slopes of the Big Island each afternoon. Other leeward sections should see little if any rainfall.

Winds will weaken a bit more next Tuesday to moderate levels, with more typical trade wind showers riding in on the trades then.


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

 

Marine Environmental Conditions…as of Friday morning: A strong high pressure ridge will remain north of the Hawaiian Islands, maintaining strong to near gale force winds through Saturday. The high will begin a weakening trend on Saturday, before shifting northeast of the state early next week. Trade winds will continue to blow across the Hawaii area through the end of next week.

The Gale Warnings for the Pailolo and Alenuihaha Channels, and Maalaea Bay were cancelled this morning, and replaced by a Small Craft Advisory (SCA) covering all Hawaiian Coastal Waters. This SCA was also extended in time through early Sunday morning, with advisory conditions likely continuing for windier areas into the first half of next week.

A high surf advisory (HSA) was extended in time for all east facing shores through Saturday afternoon, due to continued strong trade winds blowing through a long upstream fetch area. A combination of wind waves and easterly swells will keep similar surf heights at least through Saturday. This HSA may drop just below advisory thresholds by Saturday night or Sunday.

Surf along north facing shores will remain small. The next small north-northwest (330 degree) swell will move into the Hawaii waters later today, slowly increasing surf heights along north and west facing shores through the weekend.

A series of small, long period, south swells will support near average surf along south facing shores over the next several days.

 

May include: Watercolor painting of a coastal scene with a beach, ocean, and cloudy sky. Palm trees and small buildings line the shore. Three figures sit on the beach, observing the ocean. The artwork is signed in the lower right corner.


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

Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 7 days.

>>> 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.

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

 

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

Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 7 days.

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

 

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

Routine issuance of the Tropical Weather Outlook will begin on June 1, 2026.

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

 

>>> Northwest Pacific Ocean:  There are no active tropical cyclone

>>> 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:  Most Americans Concerned Climate Change Will Harm Their Health

As climate change intensifies extreme weather and environmental conditions across the country, about 65% of U.S. adults are concerned that climate change will negatively affect their personal health, according to a new study published in Health Affairs Scholar.

The study, a collaboration between the University of Hawaii at M?noa Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, analyzed responses from 6,888 adults who participated in the Health Information National Trends Survey.

The study’s co-authors include Alex Ortega, dean of the Thompson school, and Jim Stimpson, a professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Read More at: University of Hawaii