Glenn James
Hawaii Weather Today
Founder and maintainer for 30 years 

 

The latest update to this website was at 725pm Monday (HST)

 

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

4.07  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
1.69  Tunnel RG, Oahu
0.03  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.08   Lanai City, Lanai
0.19   Hanaula , Maui
0.07  Hilo AP, Big Island

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

18  Barking Sand, Kauai – SE
23  Honolulu AP, Oahu – SE
27  Makapulapai, Molokai – ESE
16  Lanai 1,  Lanai – SW
25  Kahului AP, Maui – NE
25  Mauna Loa Obs, Big Island

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 northwest…high clouds coming in from the west

 

https://cdn.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES18/ABI/SECTOR/hi/GEOCOLOR/20260962040-20260970430-GOES18-ABI-HI-GEOCOLOR-600x600.gif

Low clouds arriving along the windward sides  

 

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 

 

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

~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

 

Glenn’s Monday comments:  I’m here in Bend, Oregon on a working vacation.

421am Hawaii time, I’m here at my friend Bob’s house. It’s clear with high cirrus clouds, with a 41 degree low. BTW, when I say Hawaii time, it is 3-hours later here in Oregon.

313pm Hawaii time, Bob and I drove over to Dillion Falls Trail, and walked out and communed with the large Ponderosa Pines, while the weather was warm and sunny. We then drove over to one of our favorite eating places called Active Culture Cafe.

 

>>> Highest Temperature Monday, April 6, 2026 – 97 degrees at Death Valley, CA
>>> Lowest Temperature Monday, April 6, 2026 – 6 degrees at Peter Sinks, UT

 

Hawaii’s Broad Brush Weather Overview…as of 314pm Monday:  Mostly dry and pleasant trade wind weather will continue, with brief passing showers favoring windward and mountain areas. A significant pattern change is then expected by Tuesday, as an upper disturbance and surface low pressure evolve northwest of the islands. This system is expected to draw deep tropical moisture northward over the state, leading to an extended period of southerly winds, increased chances for widespread rainfall, and renewed flooding concerns from the middle of the week through the weekend.

>>> Interesting Web blog: Mauka Showers…Is El Niño on Our Summer Bingo Card?

 

>>> FLOOD WATCH FOR ALL ISLANDS IN THE STATE OF HAWAII...
A deep layered trough will develop west of the islands and
draw abundant moisture northward as it strengthens on
Tuesday. Instability and upward forcing will enhance the
available moisture and bring the potential for heavy rain and
thunderstorms leading to flash flooding across all islands in
the state of Hawaii.
* WHAT...Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.

* WHERE...Kauai, Niihau, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, and
  the Big Island.

* WHEN...From Wednesday morning through Friday afternoon.

* IMPACTS...Significant flooding may occur due to excessive rainfall
  and overflow of streams and drainages. Roads in several areas may
  be closed, along with property damage in urban or low lying spots
  due to runoff. Landslides may also occur in areas with steep
  terrain.



Weather Details for the Hawaiian Islands…as of 314pm Monday: Imagery shows an approaching upper level trough over the Northwest Hawaiian Islands. Occasional cirrus clouds along the eastern flank of the trough will continue over the next day or so. At the surface, a ridge is northeast of the state with the axis passing through northwest. To the northwest, a cold front around 575 miles northwest of Kauai is tracking east at 10 mph. Gentle to moderate southeast winds prevail with lighter winds/land breezes setting up leeward due to the Big Island wind blockage. Most islands will see decreasing showers and clearing tonight except for Kauai, where clouds and showers will begin to enhance due to the upper trough.

A broad surface trough is expected to develop ahead of the front, just northwest of the islands early on Tuesday, reinforcing and strengthening south winds across the islands. A moisture band associated with the trough will also set up around Kauai on Tuesday, around the time the upper trough moves across this area bringing a chance for heavy showers. Deep tropical moisture will be drawn northward on the south flow. The combination of daytime heating, sea breezes, and a potent shortwave trough moving through, may even trigger some heavy showers or thunderstorms over interior areas on Tuesday.

The upper trough exits Tuesday night while the deep tropical moisture builds northward, but the brief returning stability may be enough to provide a period of less-intense showers Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. Upper-level forcing is forecast to strengthen again Wednesday, as a strong second shortwave rounds the base of the trough, potentially enhancing lift over the region, while surface low pressure center organizes west of the islands. The combination of deep tropical moisture engulfing the state, increasing large-scale forcing for ascent point towards another widespread and organized rainfall event for the state.

Therefore, a Flood Watch has been issued for all islands from Wednesday morning through the day Friday. South winds will ramp-up likely to advisory levels Wednesday night through Friday morning. Strong winds will occur in and around heavy showers and thunderstorms, as well as around mountain ridges and downsloping gusts over northern and windward slopes of all islands. Severe wind gusts (58 mph+) will be possible, though most areas will see max in the 40-50 mph range, and likely more of a Wind Advisory setup. Stay tuned for more information on that. Finally, a Winter Storm Watch has been posted for a combination of freezing rain and snow on the Big Island summits above 12,500 feet also running Wednesday through Friday.

Differences remain in the global models for the weekend, but the general consensus is that the active pattern could linger in the area. The ECMWF clears out much of the state of the bulk of the rain, but the GFS continues the potential for rain across at least portions of the state through the weekend and beyond, where the deep moisture axis anchors. As previous discussions have mentioned, one important consideration with this week`s rainfall is antecedent conditions. The islands experienced significant flash flood events in recent weeks, and despite several days of drier trade wind weather, soils remain vulnerable in many areas. As a result, any time period of higher rainfall rates could quickly lead to enhanced runoff, renewed rises in streams and reservoirs, and localized flash flooding concerns.

 

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 341am Monday: Moderate to locally fresh trades will hold as high pressure far north of the islands moves slowly eastward. Winds will ease and shift southeasterly tonight through Wednesday, as a front stalls just west of the islands. The winds will turn more southerly and increase to moderate and strong levels on Thursday as a low pressure system develops along the stalled frontal boundary.

Small northwest swells will keep some small surf along north facing shores. A moderate long-period northwest swell will fill in tonight and Tuesday, giving more of a boost to north shore surf late Tuesday through Wednesday. A small, short period north-northeast swell will fill in during the day Tuesday before peaking Wednesday and subsiding Thursday. This overlap will make for some rough choppy conditions.

A small southerly swell will keep some small surf in place along south facing shores. A slightly larger, long-period south swell, will fill in tonight. This swell will give a more noticeable increase to south shore surf Tuesday and possibly reaching advisory levels by Wednesday, before slowly easing Thursday into the weekend. Strengthening southerly winds could make for rough choppy surf by later in the week.

East shore surf will remain small and below the seasonal average during the next 7-days, due to a lack of strong trade winds over and upstream of the islands, except for some wrap from the northerly swells.

 


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

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

 

Northeastern Pacific:  There are no active tropical cyclones

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

North Central Pacific: There are no active tropical cyclones

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

 

Northwest Pacific Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones

 

Southwest Pacific Ocean: 

Tropical Cyclone 30P (Maila)…is located approximately 667 NM south of Kapingamarangi

https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/products/31P_070000sair.jpg

 

Tropical Cyclone 31P (Vaianu)…is located approximately 205 NM west  of Suva, Fiji

https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/products/31P_070000sair.jpg

 

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: For at least one species, cigarettes might actually be good for health.

For at least one species, cigarettes might actually be good for health.

While smoking is a well-known carcinogen, what’s less appreciated is that scientists have observed some species of birds adding bits of cigarettes to their nests. Scientists in Poland say they have discovered one possible reason why: The cigarettes might be boosting the health of nestlings by warding off parasites.

“Our study indicates that cigarette butts may be used by urban blue tits as an opportunistic adaptive strategy, mimicking the function of aromatic plant materials in parasite control,” the scientists write in a paper published earlier this year in Animal Behavior.

Add this to the mountain of evidence about how species are finding clever adaptations to urban life in the Anthropocene. There are glaring examples, such as raccoons turning into suburban “trash pandas.” There are more subtle cases, such as bacteria that have evolved to feed on plastic.

Then there’s the Eurasian blue tit. The showy little songbird, which resembles a chickadee dipped in blue and yellow paint, is a common site in much of Europe. It’s already shown a knack for adapting to human surroundings, frequenting bird feeders and artificial birdhouses. In the 1920s, people in Britain discovered the birds were pecking through the foil covers of milk bottles delivered to doorsteps to feed on the thick layer of cream below.

More recently, scientists have observed a somewhat less wholesome habit. Blue tit nests are found to contain cigarette butts. Some of the birds have even been spotted building nests inside enclosed receptacles designed for people to throw away cigarette butts.

A group of Polish scientists at the University of ?ód?, who have a long-term project studying blue tits around that city, decided to try to figure out why these birds might be seeking out bits of trash contaminated with everything from arsenic to heavy metals.

One leading hypothesis was that the birds were using these butts as little pest repellents to ward off parasitic bugs such as mites, ticks and fleas that can infest nests and feed on the blood of young birds. In more natural settings, blue tits are known to add pieces of aromatic plants such as lavender and mint to their nests, and there is some evidence it improves nestling health. Scientists in Mexico have also found that house finches there appear to adorn their nests with cigarette butts to battle parasites such as ticks.

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