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

 

The latest update to this website was at 429am Wednesday morning HST


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

0.24  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.27  Manoa Lyon Arboretum, Oahu
1.65  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.00  Lanai
2.56  Puu Kukui, Maui
2.51  Kawainui Stream, Big Island


The following numbers represent the strongest wind gusts (mph) Tuesday evening:

29  Port Allen, Kauai – NE
38  Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu – ENE 
28  Makapulapai, Molokai – ENE
m   Lanai – missing
35  Kealaloloa Rg, Maui – NNE
35  Kealakomo, Big Island – N 


Hawaii’s MountainsHere’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.


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Big Blue…click twice for largest version

 

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Hurricane Lowell south-southeast of Hawaii…with Hurricane Karina far east…with soon to be Hurricane Marie spinning closer to the Mexican coast

 

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 Variable low clouds across the state…we see the northern fringe associated with Hurricane Lowell…which is passing by to the south of Hawaii 

 

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Localized showers…mostly windward 

 

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




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

503am, it’s clear here at my place here in Kula with a low temperature of 56 degrees, and the relative humidity is 80%

1240pm, just got back from my weekly shopping trip down to Mana Foods in Paia. The roads were not busy and the parking was so easy in Paia for a change. The weather today as we’ve slipped into September is sunny, although I drove through quite a few showers over on the windward sides, and satellite shows more showers taking aim on the state…carried in on the gusty trade winds.

435pm, it’s still sunny to partly sunny here in upper Kula, while sunny for the most part along the leeward beaches, and cloudy with off an on showers along the windward sides here in Maui.

636pm, it’s mostly cloudy here Maui County, although with most of the passing showers occurring along the windward sides of the islands.

707pm, I just walked out on my weather deck and saw lots of clouds, and some of them look like they could be dropping showers, not just along the windward sides…and we have a light shower here at my place in upper Kula.

9pm, it clear to partly cloudy here at my place, and my deck is still wet from a recent light shower. The temperature is relatively warm (65.8 degrees), compared to most evenings at this time.

 

We continue to be in the heart of our hurricane season, so that we need to keep our eyes peeled for systems taking aim on our Hawaiian Islands through the next three months…through the end of November.

As such, the NHC has advisories active on two tropical cyclones, both of which will work their way into our central Pacific…(Lowell is already in our central Pacific and moving by to the south of Hawaii)

This first TC is Major Category 4 Hurricane Lowell, with the current forecast track showing Lowell staying to the south of the islands, although the models show the system taking a hard turn towards the north just after passing Hawaii. We don’t want to see another Hurricane Iniki situation on Kauai! The other system, Major Category 4 Hurricane Karina, should move by to the northeast and north.

cone graphic

time of arrival graphic

 

Hawaii’s Weather Highlights…as of Tuesday evening: Breezy trade winds are expected to become strong and gusty across the state beginning Wednesday. Winds are expected to be strongest across parts of the Big Island and Maui. Moisture being carried in on the trade winds will focus clouds and showers mostly to the windward and mauka areas, particularly during the overnight through early morning hours each day.

Hurricane Lowell is well south-southeast of Hilo tonight, and is expected to pass south of the state over the next several days. The forecast remains uncertain for the upcoming Labor Day weekend, due to both Lowell and Karina remaining in the central Pacific over the coming days.

Weather Narrative..as of Tuesday evening: Satellite and radar show an area of clouds and showers moving over the windward sides of the Big Island and Maui. This moisture is associated with a surface trough moving to the west. Winds have been on the increase, in part due to the pressure gradient over the islands between a high far to our north, Hurricane Lowell to our south, and the surface trough moving through the islands.

Winds are expected to increase further on Wednesday, and remain strong and gusty into Friday, due to the tightening of the pressure gradient over the islands, between the high far to the north and Lowell to the south.

Hurricane Karina is about 1550 miles east of Hilo, and the latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) has it moving to the west-northwest through Friday, before lifting further to the north over the weekend. As Karina moves northeast of the islands this weekend and early next week, it will help to disrupt the strong trade wind flow…prompting muggy weather to prevail

Meanwhile, the latest forecast for Lowell from the NHC will have the system moving generally west through Friday, before a northward motion takes over. This northward pull of the system will be determined by the interaction of Lowell with an upper level low the models depict as sinking south towards the islands this weekend. A lot of details on the timing and exact track of the system, couple with associated impacts, remain to be ironed out. That being said, an increasing number of models have been indicating that a northward turn is to be expected, so stay turned for updates over the coming days.

As mentioned above strong and gusty winds are expected Wednesday into Friday. Advisory level winds are quite possible in the windiest areas. After the above mentioned trough moves through the islands tonight, expect shower activity to go back to more typical showers focused over the windward and mauka areas Thursday and Friday. However as the winds increase, some of those showers could be blown to leeward areas.

Due to the uncertainty with the forecast tracks of both Lowell and Karina this far out, the details of the forecast for this upcoming holiday weekend are still being flushed out. In general a trade wind pattern is in the forecast, with the possibility of increased shower activity across the state, due to moisture reaching the islands from the south from Lowell, and being carried in on the trade wind flow.

Fire Weather: Trade winds will increase in speed tonight into Wednesday, and remain breezy into Friday. Gusts to or over 50 mph will be possible in the typical windy areas. Relative humidity values are forecast to remain too high for critical fire criteria to be reached, and fuels are currently rated as not critical. Therefore, the strong winds will not trigger fire weather watches or warnings. The trade inversion is forecast to be 5,500 feet to 6,500 feet through Wednesday.

 

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

 

Marine Conditions…as of Tuesday evening: A strong surface high will remain nearly stationary far north of the Hawaiian Islands through the rest of this week, keeping fresh to locally strong trade winds in place through at least Wednesday. A Small Craft Advisory (SCA) remains in effect for the typically windy waters. The SCA will likely need to be expanded as trade winds gradually strengthen across the state to become strong to possibly gale force late Wednesday through Thursday as Hurricane Lowell passes far south. The offshore waters will likely see tropical storm conditions over the far south waters as the core of hurricane force winds remains just outside the area Wednesday into Thursday.

There is still some uncertainty with the forecast track of Lowell, especially late this weekend into early next week as the cyclone begins to gain latitude, which will have significant impacts on the wind, wave, and surf forecast for the region. Adding to the extended forecast uncertainty will be the approach of Hurricane Karina from the east.

A moderate, long-period south swell will continue to fill in overnight and peak Wednesday. Surf along south facing shores should peak below advisory thresholds. This swell will then gradually decline through the rest of the week. A small, medium- period south southeast swell from Lowell will fill in overnight through Wednesday before becoming more southerly Thursday through Friday. These combined swells will keep south shore surf elevated near to just below advisory levels.

Beyond that point, the surf forecast is highly dependent on the eventual track and intensity of Lowell, which has the potential to be a significant source of south to southwesterly swell through this weekend and into next week depending on how sharply and quickly the cyclone turns to the north. Trade wind swell energy will keep rough, choppy surf along all east-facing shores through the coming week. Tonight, a small, medium- period east swell arrives from Hurricane Karina that will build through the week and could push east shore surf to advisory thresholds by this weekend and into next week.

 

>>> Highest Temperature Tuesday, September 1, 2026 – 108 degrees near La Puerta, CA


>>>
Lowest Temperature Tuesday, September 1, 2026 – 26 degrees near Bynum, MT

 

'Hawaii Retro Waves Pixel' Poster, picture, metal print, paint by LVTFCO | Displate


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 cyclone

 

Gulf of America: 

Tropical Cyclone 05 (Edouard)…is located about 50 miles south-southeast of Beaumont, Texas

EDOUARD WEAKENS TO A DEPRESSION…GUSTY WINDS AND HEAVY RAINFALL CONTINUE SPREADING OVER SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS

According to the NHC advisory number 7

The depression is moving toward the northwest near 8 mph, and this motion is expected to continue for the next day or so. On the forecast track, the center of Edouard will continue moving inland over southeastern and eastern Texas through Wednesday. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 35 mph with higher gusts. Continued weakening is expected during the next day or so, and Edouard is forecast to weaken to a tropical depression tonight and dissipate by Wednesday night. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1002 mb (29.59 inches).

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Northeast Pacific:

Tropical Cyclone 11E (Karina)…is located about 1385 miles west of the southern tip of Baja California

KARINA GAINS SOME STRENGTH OVER THE OPEN PACIFIC OCEAN

According to the NHC advisory number 23…

Karina is moving toward the west near 12 mph nd a westward to west-northwestward motion is expected during the next few days. Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 140 mph with higher gusts. Karina is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Gradual weakening is expected during the next several 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 946 mb (27.94 inches).

 

Tropical Cyclone 13E (Marie)…is located about 470 miles south of the southern tip of Baja California

MARIE STRENGTHENS SOME MOR …EXPECTED TO BECOME A HURRICANE ON WEDNESDAY

According to the NHC advisory number 4…

Marie is moving toward the northwest near 9 mph. A turn toward the west-northwest is expected on Wednesday and that motion should continue through Thursday. Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 65 mph with higher gusts. Additional strengthening is expected during the next few days, and Marie is expected to become a hurricane on Wednesday. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 185 miles from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 994 mb (29.36 inches).

 

Central North Pacific

Tropical Cyclone 12E (Lowell)…is located about 500 miles south-southeast of Hilo, HI

LOWELL STRENGTHENING AND MOVING WESTWARD

According to the NHC advisory number 23…

Lowell is moving toward the west near 10 mph. A west to west-northwest motion is expected to continue during the next several days. Maximum sustained winds are near 130 mph with higher gusts. Lowell is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some fluctuations in intensity are possible, but additional strengthening is forecast. Lowell is expected to remain a major hurricane for the next few days. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 25 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 90 miles. The estimated minimum central pressure is 953 mb (28.15 inches).

 

Northwest Pacific Ocean:

Tropical Cyclone 17W (Saudel) is located approximately 139 NM east of Hong Kong

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Tropical Cyclone 22W (Krovanh) is located approximately 364 NM southeast of Kadena AB

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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:
Leaded Aviation Gas Drives Up Lead Levels Near Regional Airports, Raising Health Concerns, New Study Finds

Emissions from aircraft that use leaded aviation gasoline are a significant source of environmental pollution in neighborhoods near regional airports, a new study by researchers at Oregon State University and Portland State University has found.

Lead levels were much higher near two Portland, Oregon-area regional airports than urban areas located farther away, and the dominant source of the lead is aviation fuel, said Alyssa Shiel, an environmental geochemist at Oregon State University, and one of the study’s corresponding authors.

“While lead was phased out of motor vehicle gasoline decades ago, piston-engine aircraft – small planes such as single-engine trainers, light twin-engine planes, agricultural crop-dusters and vintage war planes -remain the largest remaining source of airborne lead emissions in the country,” said Shiel, an associate professor in OSU’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences.

Read More: Oregon State University

A small plane sits at an airport.