The latest update to this website was at 327pm Friday (HST)

 

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

1.18  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
1.10  Moanalua RG, Oahu
0.48  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.00  Lanai
1.51  West Wailuaiki, Maui 
1.22  IPIF, Big Island

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

18  Nawiliwili, Kauai – E
35  Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu – SE
35  Makapulapai, Molokai – ESE
29  Lanai 1,  Lanai – NE
35  Kahului AP, Maui – NE
37  Kawaihae, Big Island – NNE

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 low pressure tr0ugh west…thunderstorms south 

 

https://www.weather.gov/images/hfo/satellite/Hawaii_IR_loop.gif

Variable low, middle, and high level clouds over the state 

 

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

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

  Showers locally…some are heavy

 

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

Flood Watch from 3pm this afternoon through late tonight for Niihau and Kauai.

 

High Surf Advisory until 6pm this evening for east facing shores of Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and the Big Island.

 

Small Craft Advisory until 6pm this evening for Kauai Northwest Waters-Kauai Windward Waters-Kauai Channel-Oahu Windward Waters-Kaiwi Channel-Maui County Windward Waters-Maui County Leeward Waters-Maalaea Bay-Pailolo Channel-Alenuihaha Channel-Big Island Windward Waters-Big Island Leeward Waters-Big Island Southeast Waters.



~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

 

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

It’s clear with a few clouds early this morning here at my place, with calm winds, and a chilly low temperature of 48 degrees , and the relative humidity is 80%.

1121am, variable clouds over Maui County, with radar showing showers falling along the windward sides.

330pm, there’s moisture falling in Makawao and Haiku and on out towards Hana here on Maui. Here in upper Kula we’ve got some dark clouds overhead which seem to be moisture laden, although nothing falling from them yet.

 

Weather Wit of the day:  Do you know the difference between a minor snowstorm and a major snowstorm? In a minor storm you can’t get to work…In a major storm you can’t get to a party.

 

Interesting weather blog: Mauka Showers…Aerial vs. Satellite Views – What Clouds in Satellite Images Look Like from a Plane

 

From the NWS in Honolulu:

An unusually large, long period north-northeast swell will build Monday, peak Tuesday, and decline Wednesday. This swell is expected to produce large waves in excess of High Surf Warning thresholds across north and east facing shores, along with the potential for overwash on some low-lying coastal roads and infrastructure in windward areas. Due to the direction of the swell, waves may reach High Surf Advisory thresholds along West Maui and portions of the North Kona and South Kohala Districts of the Big Island. Due to the swell direction from approximately 020 degrees, hazardous conditions and heavy surges are expected at north facing harbors.

In the short term, the extended period of strong trade winds will end tonight, bringing chances for heavy rain and thunderstorms and a flood threat to some areas.

A Flood Watch is in effect for Kauai County through 6am Saturday. As the flood risk diminishes on Kauai, a period of heavy showers and thunderstorms will spread eastward over the rest of the island chain late tonight and Saturday. While confidence is not high enough to expand the Flood Watch to additional islands, there will be a period of heavy rainfall with some flood risk.

The risk of flooding will diminish on Sunday. Expect light and variable winds to generate isolated afternoon downpours and thunderstorms.

 

>>> Highest Temperature Friday, February 20, 2026 – 97 near Hidalgo, TX
>>> Lowest Temperature Friday, February 20, 2026 – minus 26 near Mackay, Idaho

 

Hawaii’s Broad Brush Weather Overview…as of 10am Friday:  Breezy trades will continue for one more day, but will ease by this evening. As a disturbance moves overhead today, expect increasing chances for heavy rain and isolated thunderstorms over the western end of the state, first for Kauai later today and then for islands farther east by Saturday. The wet weather will continue into early next week as a frontal boundary sinks back southward over the state. Strengthening trades will return a more typical windward and mountain-focused shower pattern, followed by more stable conditions by mid to late next week.

Short Term Update…as of 10am Friday:  An upper level trough approaching the state, will bring the threat of heavier showers and isolated thunderstorms over Kauai later this afternoon. Models continue to show heavier showers picking up over Kauai at around 3 or 4 pm this afternoon, and persisting through the evening and overnight hours. A Flood Watch is in effect for Niihau and Kauai starting at 3pm this afternoon.

For rest of the state, moderate to breezy trade winds will continue to focus the showers over windward and mountain areas. With the added instability from the upper level trough later today into Saturday, some heavier showers and isolated thunderstorms will be possible, especially the windward and mountain areas. While the threat for heavy rain does exist for the other islands, the confidence for a Flood Watch remains on the lower side, due to marginal rainfall intensities and the fast moving trough.

Hawaii’s Weather Details…as of 356am Friday:  Another breezy day is in store across the island chain today, as a stationary front is located to the west of the state with high pressure centered well to the north. It will not be as windy as previous days, however, and winds are expected to gradually decline by this evening. The front remains west of the offshore waters area at this time, and widespread cloud cover and a line of thunderstorms along this feature dominate the regional satellite imagery.

Ahead of the front, thick high clouds have spread farther east over the island chain. Latest radar imagery shows a few showers embedded within the trades favoring windward and mountain sections of the islands this morning. Upstream of the islands, an area of deeper moisture is forecast to move across the islands today, increasing windward and mountain showers, even as trade winds gradually ease and veer slightly.

An axis of deep moisture will approach from the west today, as well as an upper-level trough swings overhead. The combination of increasing moisture and instability will bring the potential for localized flooding and isolated thunderstorms late this afternoon into Saturday, particularly across the western end of the state. Latest guidance continues to indicate cool temperatures aloft. Although surface dewpoints may only reach into the mid-60s, there will be enough moisture, instability, and lift in the region to at least introduce a brief period of flooding potential across Kauai County, as well as some isolated thunderstorms.

Additionally, the latest guidance shows the potential for heavy rain across Kauai during the evening, so the Flood Watch remains unchanged, and is in place for Niihau and Kauai from this afternoon through early Saturday morning. Hi-res guidance also suggests that there could be a brief window of heavy rain potential for Oahu as well early Saturday, but confidence is not high enough at this time to expand the watch.

Beyond the weekend, model guidance suggests that between Sunday night and Tuesday, moisture pooled along a horizontally-oriented frontal boundary will move back southward down the island chain, as high pressure builds to the north between two nearby lows. This boundary will increase windward and mountain showers again as it moves through, followed by strengthening trade winds. By the second half of next week, mid-level ridging is expected to build overhead, supporting a more stable pattern with moderate to breezy trade winds.

 

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 356am Friday:  Strong trades will persist, then begin to ease over the weekend as a gale nearby to the northwest lifts north-northwestward and away from the region. Winds may become light enough for a localized land and sea breeze regime to become established over the weekend. Seas will respond by gradually lowering, likely falling below the Small Craft Advisory level by Saturday. In addition to the winds and seas, expect a wet pattern with isolated thunderstorms to develop by tonight as an upper disturbance moves over the state.


Surf along exposed east-facing shores will remain rough, with heights hovering around advisory levels. A downward trend will follow over the weekend as winds diminish locally and upstream of the state.


Surf along exposed north- and east-facing shores will quickly build through the day Monday, as a long-period north-northeast swell from a broad storm-force low evolves off the northwest Pacific coast this weekend. A large area of northerly gales between this system and a 1048 millibar blocking high centered over the Aleutians, will expand southward Friday through the weekend, with the head of the fetch reaching less than 1,000 nautical miles from the state.


Heights will reach warning levels for exposed north- and east-facing shores by late Monday through Tuesday. Although a gradual downward trend is anticipated by mid-week, additional pulses from this same system will keep surf above advisory levels for east-facing shores through much of the week. This swell direction will bring surf into some typically protected areas such as Kua Bay, West Maui, and exposed shores of Lanai.


Other impacts from this north-northeast swell direction could include significant erosion along some coasts and accretion at other locations, as sand shifts opposite the typical swell direction, particularly along north-facing shores. Additionally, overwash along vulnerable sections of coastline and roadways will be possible beginning Monday night during high tide cycles. Mariners can also anticipate harbor surges in Kahului and Hilo.


Surf along exposed west-facing shores will rise early next week, as a long-period northwest swell arrives from a broad storm-force low currently located over the far northwest Pacific near the Kurils.


 


Severe weather possible across Hawaii this week










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


 


Northeastern Pacific:   There are no active tropical cyclones


















North Central Pacific: There are no active tropical cyclones


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






 








Northwest Pacific Ocean:  There are no active tropical cyclones






Southwest Pacific Ocean:  There are no active tropical cyclones


North Indian Ocean:  There are no active tropical cyclones


South Indian Ocean:  


Tropical Cyclone 22S (Horacio) is located approximately 536 NM south-southeast of Diego Garcia


https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/products/sh2226.gif


























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:  Course Correction Needed Quickly to Avoid Pathway to ‘Hothouse Earth’ Scenario, Scientists Say




Scientists say multiple Earth system components appear closer to destabilization than previously believed, putting the planet at increased risk of a “hothouse” trajectory driven by feedback loops that can amplify the consequences of global warming.


Published today in the journal One Earth, “The risk of a hothouse Earth trajectory” is an analysis by an international collaboration led by Oregon State University’s William Ripple that synthesizes scientific findings on climate feedback loops and 16 tipping elements – Earth subsystems that may undergo loss of stability if critical temperature thresholds are passed.


Those sharp changes could likely result in a cascade of subsystem interactions that would steer the planet toward a path to extreme warming and sea level rise – conditions that could be difficult to reverse on human timescales, even with deep emissions cuts.


Read More at: Oregon State University


Photo of Allan Hills, Antarctica.