Latest / Aloha Today — Your Daily Hawaii Briefing / Aloha Today — Your Daily Hawaii Briefing — Friday 2026-09-04
Transcript
- 0:00Aloha. It's Friday morning, and Hurricane Lowell is spinning up south of the islands. I'm Mele with what's happening in Hawaiʻi today.
- 1:50Today is windy — gusts around 50 mph across most islands, so stay indoors if you can and secure anything loose outside. Saturday and Sunday will calm down noticeably as the wind pattern shifts. You'll see passing showers on windward areas, with occasional brief showers on the leeward side.
- 2:04Surf is already building. South shore Oʻahu is at 5.5 feet — moderate, with shore break and rip currents to watch. Kauaʻi's north shore is running 6.1 feet with a powerful shore break, so that's experienced swimmers and surfers only. Big Island's leeward side is calm at 1.6 feet if you're after glass water.
- 2:19Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is open, though the Sulphur Banks Bridge is closed — the boardwalk is still accessible. The park remains under advisory alert for volcanic activity. Protect yourself from volcanic ash if you're heading to the Big Island.
- 2:32If you're planning ahead for a longer Hawaiʻi trip, we've posted a guide on whether splitting your stay between two hotels actually saves you time or just burns a vacation day. It walks through the island-by-island math and transfer-day logistics — useful if you're weighing whether moving hotels makes sense for your itinerary.
- 2:48The bigger picture: Hurricane Lowell is 500 miles south and will turn northward this weekend. Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, and Niʻihau face the largest risk Monday into Tuesday. Expect heavy rain, dangerous ocean conditions, storm surge, and strong winds. Do not plan outdoor activities for Monday or Tuesday. Have your hurricane kit and evacuation plan ready now, and monitor official forecasts closely through the weekend.
- 3:09Stay safe this weekend. I'll be back Monday with an update on what Lowell brings.