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

 

The latest update to this website was at 1254pm Friday afternoon HST


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

7.20  Lower Limhuli, Kauai
3.31  Kahana, Oahu
0.02  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.04  Lanai AP, Lanai
0.42  Waikamoi Treeline, Maui
0.12  Honaunau, Big Island


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

17  Lawai, Kauai – ENE
27  Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu – SE 
25  Makapulapai, Molokai – ENE
20  Lanai 1, Lanai – NE
28  Na Kula, Maui – SE
22  South Point, 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

 

https://cdn.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES18/ABI/SECTOR/tpw/13/GOES18-TPW-13-900x540.gif

Cold fronts north and northwest 

 

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Variable low clouds…high clouds south 

 

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

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

It’s mostly clear with a few clouds and haze, with calm winds at my place, and with a low temperature of 56 degrees and the relative humidity is 85%

1030am, our skies over Maui have become partly cloudy by mid-morning, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they become partly to mostly cloudy by noon, along with the continued voggy air.

1210pm,

 

>>> Highest Temperature Thursday, June 18, 2026 – 117 at Stovepipe Wells, CA
>>> Lowest Temperature Friday, June 19, 2026 – 23 degrees at Peter Sinks, UT

 

Interesting web article: Mauka Showers…How Much Rainfall is Below or Above Normal in Hawaii?

 

Hawaii’s Broad Brush Weather Overview…as of Friday afternoon: A weak surface trough will continue to move west of Kauai today. This feature will bring a slight increase in afternoon shower activity, especially over interior and northwest portions of Oahu and Kauai. Elsewhere, isolated to scattered showers will be mainly confined to interior regions and on mountain slopes as weak to moderate east southeast flow prevails.

Through this weekend, expect weak to moderate east or east-southeasterly wind flow statewide, with mainly isolated showers along windward slopes. Monday into mid- next week, our local trade winds will increase, along with a return of more consistent night and early morning passing showers for windward locations across the state.

Short Term Update: Light to moderate east-southeast winds will continue to fill in across the state today, as a weak surface trough gradually moves northwest of Kauai. Radar and satellite imagery only show a few clouds and showers being ushered into windward and mountain areas on the east-southeast wind flow, with the greatest cloud cover over windward Oahu. Surface observations already show sea breezes starting to form across most leeward areas as of this update, hinting at the potential for clouds and showers to develop across leeward and interior areas through the afternoon.

With yesterday’s somewhat surprising heavy rainfall-producing showers over Kauai’s north shore, and the windward areas of Oahu, we cannot rule out the possibility of additional efficient showers forming again today, as the weak surface trough and deeper moisture linger near the western end of the state, though with these features pushing west of Kauai, there should be slightly less support.

High resolution model guidance isn’t too excited about any heavy rainfall potential this afternoon/evening, with only some minor hints at moderate showers forming over similar areas as yesterday, but then again, the models weren’t too excited about it yesterday, and we had some minor flooding, so we’ll definitely need to be keeping an eye on radar.

Weather Details for the Hawaiian Islands…as of Friday afternoon: Satellite showed scattered low clouds meandering just west of Kauai this morning, associated with a surface trough, with mostly clear skies elsewhere. This trough will be the main driving feature in today`s weather, as it slowly creeps further westward, away from the state. Loose surface pressure gradients surrounding Kauai will allow for another day of light morning winds, followed by afternoon sea breeze development. Winds will start off light on Oahu, before light to moderate east-southeast flow fills in as the day progresses. This will likely lead to a modified afternoon sea breeze pattern along leeward areas. Moderate to locally breezy east southeast flow expected for the remaining islands as the trough pulls further away.

Statewide, muggy conditions should persist. For Oahu and Kauai, latest guidance once again shows diurnally driven showers forming over interior/mountainous regions by early afternoon, then spreading out in coverage, mainly over the northwest portions of both islands. Residual moisture and weak instability left over from the passing trough may allow for a brief pockets of moderate to heavy rain embedded in the showers. Thus, the issuance of a stray Flood Advisory remains possible if a robust shower stalls, or anchors over the terrain. Expect diurnally driven afternoon showers for Maui County and the Big Island as well, mainly over the mountain slopes and higher terrain. Rainfall activity and cloud cover should lessen by tonight with the loss of daytime heating.

Saturday into Sunday, a moderate east-southeast wind flow slowly backs easterly statewide, with some shower activity along windward areas during the nights and early mornings. Dewpoints will gradually lower from the lower 70’s to upper 60’s through the weekend, making it feel a bit less sticky and more comfortable.

By Monday, latest runs of both the GFS and ECMWF models dig an upper level trough southward, northeast of the islands. Late Monday into Tuesday, these long range models cut an upper low off from the trough. For the remainder of the week, the GFS is more bullish on pulling the low to the southwest and over the state, as well as inducing a weak surface trough. This would act to weaken the capping inversion and enhance trade wind showers on all islands. The ECMWF has the low drifting westward, passing north of the island chain, with slightly less influence on our local weather. Either way, both models indicate a moderate to breezy trade wind pattern with wetter conditions ensuing on windward areas mid- to late next week.

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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 afternoon: Light to moderate trades will hold for the next few days as a weak surface ridge remains to the northeast and a broad surface trough lingers north of the island chain over the next few days. The weak trough, which moved across the islands over the past several days, is now north of Kauai, producing scattered showers over the offshore waters. Trade winds will begin to increase on Monday and trend upward through next week as troughing north of the island chain is replaced by a strengthening ridge.

A moderate, medium period south swell will steadily fade today into the weekend, allowing surf along south and west-facing shores to steadily diminish through Saturday. After this, a series of smaller south and southeast swells will fill in Saturday into the first half of next week, which will maintain surf near seasonal averages through next week.

Tiny surf will prevail on north shores through most of the coming week as only some limited short-period energy reaches the islands from the north. Trade winds remain lighter than normal through the weekend, keeping surf along east-facing shores below average. East shore surf will begin to slowly trend up beginning Monday as trade winds increase across the region.

 

Drive Around Oahu: Complete Circle Island Route with Honolulu Stops & Map 2026


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

Offshore East Coast of the United States (Remnants of Arthur):

Showers and thunderstorms located near the southeastern United States coast and adjacent offshore waters are associated with a trough of low pressure (the remnants of Arthur). Strong upper-level winds and interaction with a nearby frontal system are expected to limit any subtropical or tropical development of this system tonight while it moves northeastward at 25 to 30 mph over the western Atlantic Ocean. By early Saturday, the system is forecast to merge with the front while it continues northeastward over cooler waters.

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

 

>>> 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)

 

>>> Northeast Pacific: There are no active tropical cyclone

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 cyclone

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

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

 

>>> Northwest Pacific Ocean: 

Tropical Cyclone 07W…is located 272 NM north of Yap

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>>> 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: Global Rice Production Nearly Doubled Despite Climate Change, Driven Largely by Human Management

Global rice production nearly doubled between the 1960s and the 2010s, despite the negative impacts of climate change, according to a new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The study found that management decisions — including expanded irrigation and increased nutrient inputs — played a central role in sustaining rice production and offsetting climate-related losses. The results of the study suggest that future food security will depend not only on environmental conditions, but also on how rice production systems are managed and adapted to changing conditions.

The study by climate, meteorology and atmospheric sciences professor Atul Jain and former graduate student Tzu-Shun Lin combined observations and process-based modeling to examine the factors that shaped global rice production over the past half century. The researchers evaluated how environmental change and agricultural management together influenced rice production across regions and over time. The results of the study are published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Read More at: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

A new study found that rice production nearly doubled between the 1960s and the 2010s, despite the negative impacts of climate change, and that future food security will depend heavily on agricultural management and adaptation, not just climate change.