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

 

The latest update to this website was at 248pm Thursday afternoon HST


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

0.41  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.27  Moanalua RG, Oahu
0.10  Honolimaloo, Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.42  Puu Kukui, Maui
0.49  Piihonua, Big Island


The following numbers represent the strongest wind gusts (mph) Thursday afternoon: 

27  Port Allen, Kauai – E
32  Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu – ESE
30  Molokai AP, Molokai – NE
m   Lanai – missing
47  Na Kula, Maui – ESE
35  Puu Mali, 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 (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.


https://weather.gc.ca/data/satellite/goes_gwdisk11_1070_100.jpg

Big Blue…click twice for largest version

 

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The tropical waters southeast and east-southeast of the islands are ripe for tropical cyclone activity…all the way to Mexico

 

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 Variable clouds across the state 

 

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Localized showers 

 

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

450am, it’s clear here at my place here in Kula with a low temperature of 53.5 degrees, and the relative humidity is 82%

920am, I find it interesting that newly formed tropical cyclone Dolly in the Atlantic Ocean, has that name…after we just lost our wonderful Dolly Parton! The NHC didn’t hand pick this name, it was actually the next name in the long list of upcoming tropical cyclone names!

PDC Weather Wall

 

Hawaii’s Weather Highlights…as of Thursday afternoon:  Moderate to locally breezy trades will occur through the remainder of the week. Stable and dry conditions will be the main theme the next several days. Typical summertime, albeit infrequent, windward and mountain passing light showers.

Short Term Update: We remain in a generally dry trade wind weather pattern, with isolated morning showers occurring over some windward areas. Rainfall amounts have been light, ranging from a couple hundredths of an inch to around a tenth of an inch. Skies were partly to mostly cloudy windward and mountains, with sunny to mostly sunny skies over most leeward areas.

Weather Narrative..as of Thursday afternoon: Weak upper and mid level ridging across the Central Pacific is providing just enough subsidence to result in warm and fairly dry weather, primarily isolated showers, the next couple of days. A large area of high pressure located south of the Aleutian Islands of AK, is creating a tight enough pressure gradient toward lower equatorial pressure, to create continued moderate to locally breezy trade winds the next several days. As was the case yesterday, the next few days will be less humid and generally more pleasant under continued moderate trade flow.

Morning atmospheric soundings indicate a near 6,000 foot inversion depth, that is deep enough to support repeat showers. Locally stronger winds gusting to near 25 to 30 mph will be commonplace, atop higher terrain and through leeward valleys and/or slopes into early next week. Increased trades will continue into early next week, as subtle strengthening of the North Pacific high increases winds a touch past Sunday.

Most diurnal rain accumulation will measure in the hundredths of an inch. Greater rainfall will likely focus across windward upslope areas, in particular Big Island’s Hilo, Puna and Kau Districts, and Haleakala’s eastern slopes on Maui. Generally, as evidenced in recent soundings, mid to upper ridging will remain in control helping to maintain dry mid-levels. This scenario will result in infrequent windward exposure showers.

Quick-hitting light showers trapped within the trade belt will likely be more recurrent during the nocturnal hours than during the day. The rapid nature of these cells passing over high terrain will have better organized showers reaching leeward communities. The weather pattern will turn wetter going into the middle of next week.

The National Hurricane Center is monitoring three distinct areas of convection. All of these areas have a higher chance for tropical cyclone (TC) formation late this week or weekend. Model guidance has struggled with consistency on future development and track of potential TC’s. Some of these models spin these eastern Pacific disturbances up into TC’s, and send them west are still in the minority.

Google Deepmind is also struggling on how to handle the active convection south of 14S between 130W and 140W this morning…NHC’s area of a high likelihood of TC formation. The model does send its ensemble members of various strengths due west into a less sheared environment over Hawaii, and over warmer waters through next week.

 

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 Conditions…as of Thursday afternoon: Moderate to locally strong trades will persist through this weekend, as a broad high pressure remains far north of the state. A Small Craft Advisory for the typically windier waters around Maui County and the Big Island will continue through tonight, and likely need to be extended for the next several days.

A small, long period south southwest swell will continue to fill in today, peak tonight through Friday morning, then slowly fade through the weekend. This swell will help increase surf along south facing shores to above seasonal averages, and could approach high surf criteria at its peak.

Surf along east facing shores will remain rough and choppy, due to persistent trade wind swell. A small, medium period east swell from Tropical Storm Iselle may fill in Friday, peak Saturday before slowly fading into early next week.

Surf along north facing shores will remain tiny to flat.

 

>>> Highest Temperature Wednesday, August 26, 2026 – 120 degrees at Death Valley, CA


>>> Lowest Temperature Wednesday, August 26, 2026 – 32 degrees near Redfeather Lakes, CO

 

Hawaii Tours - Oahu Nature Tours - Oahu Circle Island Adventures


World-wide Tropical Cyclone Activity

 


>>> Here’s a link to the latest Pacific Disaster Center’s Weather Wall



Atlantic Ocean:

Tropical Cyclone 04L (Dolly)…is located about 1425 east of the leeward islands

DOLLY MOVING QUICKLY WESTWARD…INTERESTS IN THE LEEWARD ISLANDS SHOULD MONITOR

According to the NHC advisory number 2

Dolly is moving toward the west near 24 mph, and this motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days. On the forecast track, this system should be nearing the Leeward Islands this weekend. Maximum sustained winds remain near 40 mph with higher gusts. Little change in strength is likely during the next 48 hours, and Dolly is forecast to degenerate into a tropical wave before it reaches the Leeward Islands. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1007 mb (29.74 inches).

cone graphic

 

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 11E (Karina)…is located about 825 miles south of the southern tip of Baja California

TROPICAL STORM KARINA FORMS WELL OFFSHORE THE COAST OF SOUTHWEST MEXICO

According to the NHC advisory number 1…

Karina is moving toward the west-northwest near 13 mph and this general motion is expected to continue over the next several days. Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph with higher gusts. Strengthening is anticipated, and Karina is forecast to become a hurricane over the weekend. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 205 miles from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1001 mb (29.56 inches).

 

Tropical Cyclone 12E (Lowell)…is located about 1765 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California

TROPICAL STORM LOWELL FORMS IN THE OPEN EASTERN PACIFIC

According to the NHC advisory number 1…

Lowell is moving toward the east-northeast near 5 mph. A gradual turn toward the north is expected by Friday, with a westward motion expected by Saturday. Recent satellite wind data indicate that maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph with higher gusts. Strengthening is likely during the next several days, and Lowell could become a hurricane by Saturday night. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1006 mb (29.71 inches).

 

Central North Pacific:

Tropical Cyclone 01C (Lala)…is located about 610 miles north of Kure Atoll

LALA LOSING ORGANIZATION

According to the NHC advisory number 62…

Lala is moving toward the north-northwest near 5 mph. A north-northwestward motion is expected through today, followed by a gradual turn toward the west-northwest tonight and Friday. On the forecast track, Lala is forecast to cross the International Date line in about 24 hours. Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph with higher gusts. Satellite imagery indicates that Lala is losing its associated shower and thunderstorms activity, and it is likely to become a post-tropical low this afternoon or tonight. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1000 mb (29.53 inches).

 

>>> Central Pacific:

An area of low pressure could form well south of the Hawaiian Islands over the weekend or early next week. Some gradual development is possible thereafter while the system moves slowly west-northwestward, well south-southwest of the Hawaiian Islands.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent
* Formation chance through 7 days…low…30 percent

 

Northwest Pacific Ocean:

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Tropical Cyclone 17W (Saudel)…is located approximately 293 NM west-northwest of Kadena AB

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Tropical Cyclone 20W…is located approximately 179 NM southwest of Wake Island

https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/products/wp2026.gif

 

Tropical Cyclone 21W (Etau)…is located approximately 238 NM north-northeast of Wake Island

https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/products/wp2126.gif

 

>>> 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: Too Little Sleep—and Too Much—Associated with Faster Aging

An analysis of biological clocks throughout the human body suggests that too few hours of sleep—and too many—may speed aging in the brain, heart, lung, and immune system and is associated with a wide range of diseases.

“Previous studies have found that sleep is largely linked to aging and the pathological burden of the brain. Our study goes further and shows that too little and too much sleep are associated with faster aging in nearly every organ, supporting the idea that sleep is important in maintaining organ health within a coordinated brain-body network, including metabolic balance, and a healthy immune system,” says study leader Junhao Wen, assistant professor of radiology at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

The research was published in Nature.