Glenn James

Hawaii Weather Today
Creator, Author, and Administrator for over 30 years

 

The latest update to this website was at 116pm Wednesday afternoon HST


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

0.16  Kilohana, Kauai
0.23  Palehua, Oahu
0.08  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.04  Lanai City, Lanai
0.11  West Wailuaiki, Maui
1.08  Kapapala, Big Island


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

18  Moloaa Dairy, Kauai – SE
23  Kaneohe, Oahu – SE
16  Kalae Hwy, Molokai – SW
23  Summit, Maui – WNW
36  Mauna Loa Obs, Big Island 


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 (currently out of service). 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.


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Big Blue…click twice for largest version

 

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A cold front to the northwest
Hurricane Rachel far east towards Mexico…will be no threat to Hawaii


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Variable clouds over the island chain…well developed cumulus clouds southwest 

 

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https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/standard/PHKI_loop.gif

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Localized Showers…some are heavy

 

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




~~~
Hawaii Weather Narrative
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Glenn’s Wednesday comments:  I’m at home here in upper Kula, Maui, Hawaii

520am, it’s clear here at my place, the low temperature 52 degrees, relative humidity is 78%…with calm winds

Looking way ahead, it looks very likely that we’ll have a drier than normal winter here in Hawaii…and a VERY WET winter in southern California.


Hawaii’s Weather Highlights
…as of Wednesday afternoon:
Weakening trade winds will produce light rainfall over mainly windward areas tonight. Low pressure will develop north of the state, causing winds to shift out of the south and allowing sea breezes to produce a few interior showers in the afternoon. Deep southerly winds will draw tropical moisture over the portions of the island chain tonight through at least Thursday, bringing some potential for flooding rainfall.

The low will weaken several hundred miles northwest of Kauai Friday and Saturday then lift away on Sunday, though a few heavy showers may linger through the weekend under light winds. Light trade winds are expected to return early next week.

Short Term Update: Land breezes developed late last night as regional winds declined, leading to mostly clear conditions early this morning. Southerly winds are beginning to develop as of mid-morning, with little to no rainfall expected through mid-day. Sea breezes will dominate this afternoon and will produce a few interior showers as the atmosphere destabilizes. Flood Watch goes into effect this evening for Kauai and Oahu.

Weather Narrative…as of Wednesday afternoon: A stable and light ESE wind flow prevails beneath an inversion averaging about 7,500 feet over the islands. Winds will continue veering through the day becoming SSE by this evening. This is occurring in response to an approaching trough presently approaching Kauai from the northwest. At this time, a frontal wave is developing in advance of this trough, while frequent thunderstorms are noted in the base of the trough. In the near term, emerging sea breezes against a background of light southerlies will tend to focus afternoon clouds and showers over northern portions of the islands, where scattered coverage is anticipated during peak heating.

By tonight, attention turns toward the northward progress of the tropical disturbance about 600 miles south-southwest of Kauai. This disturbance is embedded within a broader tropical airmass, characterized by surface dewpoints well into the 70’s, precipitable water values in excess of 2.00″, and is surrounded by shower activity. Pockets of thunderstorms are also noted near its core. Southerly winds in advance of the developing cyclone north of the area, will draw this feature north tonight into Thursday.

In addition, since convection is already fairly widespread south of the islands, suggests the incoming atmosphere will be primed for shower and isolated thunderstorm activity in spite of the resident hostile stable/dry environment, which should in turn be displaced rather easily.

Model guidance suggests showers, some heavy, will become increasingly widespread between sunset and midnight tonight. At the least, this will favor steady, broad ascent from Maui County through Kauai, prompting an increasing shower coverage as moisture steadily deepens. However, while differing on exact location, the EC and GFS models both allow a band of particularly intense rainfall to develop.

Kauai or Oahu should see banding of deep convection, heavy rain, and isolated thunderstorms. The heaviest rain is anticipated from around sunrise Thursday through Thursday evening. At this time, it appears that once the increasingly strung out tropical disturbance, or remnant thereof, advances through the area, shower coverage should decrease considerably Thursday night into Friday. With that said, the upper trough stays nearly stationary northwest of Kauai. This should be sufficient for showers to capitalize on rich low-level moisture, and produce pockets of heavy showers Thursday night into early Friday night, especially over leeward areas.

A Flood Watch has been issued for tonight through Thursday for Kauai and Oahu. Given the potential bands of convection to develop, there is concern for training of heavy showers. Rain rates could also be intense at times given the deep tropical moisture.

High pressure ridging becomes increasingly prominent beginning Friday night, with light to moderate trades and increasing stability making a push into the area for the weekend. Should trades remain sufficiently light, then afternoon sea breezes will still have plenty of moisture to work with for afternoon showers over island interiors this weekend, potentially leading to pockets of nuisance flooding during peak heating.

Fire Weather:  Light to moderate ESE winds veer to SSE as the day progresses. Fire weather risk diminishes through Friday as southerly winds bring increased moisture and humidity. The inversion range from 6-8,000 feet, and will deteriorate this evening as deeper moisture arrives.

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 Wednesday afternoon: A low pressure system will drop into the Hawaii region from the north and become cut off from the westerly steering flow, and linger northwest of Kauai through Thursday. Southerly to southeasterly surface winds will draw up tropical moisture over the islands under the cold upper low, producing periods enhanced showers, heavy at times, with the potential for a few thunderstorms near Niihau, Kauai and Oahu. A passing low level trough will then drift from east to west through the islands from Sunday into the first half of next week, potentially extending these unstable wet weather trends.

Long period south swell energy will begin to fade over the next few days, with overlapping tiny long period swell energy keeping surf heights elevated along south facing shores through the week. Another small, long period south swell will fill in this weekend, bumping surf back up to just a few feet below advisory levels.

Small to moderate surf along north and west facing shores remains in the forecast through the rest of the week, as swell energy is reinforced by the slowly moving surface low northwest of the Hawaiian Islands. A larger moderate swell could arrive early next week, bringing north shore surf to just below advisory thresholds. Surf along east facing shores will remain small, as local winds remain fairly weak.

 

>>> Highest Temperature Tuesday, October 6, 2026 – 109 degrees at Death Valley, CA


>>>
Lowest Temperature Tuesday, October 6, 2026 – 19 degrees at Mount Washington, NH

 

Why does Hawaii have so many rainbows? There is actually a science behind it. ? Hawaii sits in the middle of the Pacific Ocean where warm tropical air meets cool mountain elevations


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


Caribbean Sea:
There are no active tropical cyclones


Gulf of America:

Tropical Cyclone 09L (Isaias)…is located about 500 miles south-southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River

ISAIAS QUICKLY INTENSIFYING, FORECAST TO BE A HURRICANE BY THURSDAY MORNING

According to the NHC advisory number 5 

Isaias is moving toward the east-northeast near 8 mph. A continued east-northeastward motion is expected today, followed by a turn toward the northeast and north on Thursday and Friday. On the forecast track, Isaias is expected to pass to the north of the Yucatan Peninsula on Thursday and make landfall along the U.S. northern Gulf Coast late Friday or early Saturday. Maximum sustained winds are near 65 mph with higher gusts. Isaias is forecast to become a hurricane by Thursday morning, with further strengthening expected through Friday morning. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 994 mb (29.36 inches) based on NOAA Hurricane Hunter dropsonde data.

cone graphic

 

Northeast Pacific

Tropical cyclone 18E (Rachel) is located about 800 miles west of the southern tip of Baja CA

RACHEL MAINTAINS HURRICANE INTENSITY

According to the NHC advisory number 43 

Rachel is moving toward the west-northwest near 7 mph, and a generally west to west-northwestward motion is expected during the next day or two. Rachel is then forecast to slow down before making a sharp turn to the northeast by the end of the week. Maximum sustained winds are near 80 mph with higher gusts. Gradual weakening is forecast over the next few days. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles. The estimated minimum central pressure is 979 mb (28.91 inches).

cone graphic

 

Tropical cyclone (Simon) is located about 300 miles southeast of Manzanillo, Mexico

DEPRESSION BECOMES TROPICAL STORM SIMON

According to the NHC advisory number 2 

Simon is moving toward the west-northwest near 8 mph, and this general motion is expected to continue through tomorrow, followed by a turn toward the northwest and north on Friday. On the forecast track, the center of Simon is expected to remain south of Mexico through Friday, but approach the coast of southwestern Mexico on Saturday. Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 40 mph with higher gusts. Continued strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and Simon is expected to become a hurricane by late Thursday. It could become a major hurricane by Saturday. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1004 mb (29.65 inches).

 

>>> South of Guatemala:

An area of low pressure is forecast to form south of the coast of Guatemala during the early portion of next week. Environmental conditions appear conducive for some gradual development of this system thereafter while it moves generally west-northwestward around 10 mph

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

 

Central North Pacific: There are no active tropical cyclones

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

 

Northwest Pacific Ocean:

Tropical Cyclone 15E (Nolo) is located about 19912 NM west-northwest of Johnston Island

https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/products/ep1526.gif

Tropical Cyclone 27W(Koguma)…is located approximately 1253 NM east-southeast of Iwo T0

https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/products/wp2726.gif

 

Southwest Pacific Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones

North and South Indian Oceans / Arabian Sea: There are no active tropical cyclones

 

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



Interesting: 
Itching for a Solution: Addressing Mosquito-Borne Disease as Climate Change Bites

Prevention measures, including vector control, vaccine deployment and cutting greenhouse gas emissions to limit global warming are critical to counter the growing burden of mosquito-borne diseases in a changing climate, according to a new paper by Monash University researchers.

The review, published today in Science Advances, examines the complex ecological, epidemiological and socioeconomic factors that influence the transmission of malaria and dengue.

Malaria is a serious, life-threatening disease caused by a parasite that is typically spread to humans through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.

Dengue is caused by a virus that is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female Aedes mosquitoes.

Read More: Monash University