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Aloha Today — Your Daily Hawaii Briefing — Tuesday 2026-09-01 · Aloha Today — Your Daily Hawaii Briefing

• 0:00
  Aloha. Tuesday morning. Tropical Storm Lowell is spinning up south of the islands, and it's going to reshape the next few days. What's happening in Hawaiʻi today.
• 2:21
  Right now, Tuesday's pretty normal — mostly dry on the leeward sides, windward areas seeing a few showers overnight. But starting Wednesday afternoon, strong gusty winds kick in. Gusts over 50 miles per hour are possible through Friday, especially over channels between islands and the south sides of Maui and the Big Island. The air will feel muggier than usual. Windward slopes — Maui's north side, Big Island east side, Oʻahu windward — will see more showers, particularly overnight and early morning. If you're heading out, leeward and lower-elevation spots are your safest bet for dry hours.
• 2:51
  Ocean conditions are ramping up. Oʻahu's south and north shores are holding at 4 feet — moderate surf with shore break and rip currents to watch. Kauaʻi is bigger at 5.8 feet. Maui's calmer at 3 feet, Big Island even quieter at 1.5 feet. By Wednesday, swell from Lowell will start building on south and southeast shores, but we're not expecting warning-level surf through Friday. This isn't a strong swim week, especially once the wind picks up Wednesday.
• 3:13
  Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is mostly open now, with the Kahuku Unit partially reopening Thursday. Sulphur Banks Bridge stays closed, but the boardwalk is accessible. Kīlauea remains active at advisory level — if you're in that area, watch for volcanic ash depending on wind direction.
• 3:28
  One bit to know if you're planning ahead: Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach on the Big Island lost county services after yesterday. Our piece on what's confirmed and what's still unclear walks through how that affects parking and facilities if you're heading that way. Also, if spring break 2027 is on your radar, we've posted a guide on the crowd-risk dates to watch and what March weather typically brings across the islands — it's worth locking in early if you're aiming for March.
• 3:52
  Wednesday through Friday belongs to the wind and swell. Labor Day weekend is still uncertain — both Lowell and Hurricane Karina could factor into conditions by late Saturday. Head over to hawaii-guide dot com slash this-week for a full look at what we're tracking as this system moves.
• 4:06
  If you're planning water activities this week, check current conditions before you go. Catch you tomorrow.