Latest / Aloha Today — Your Daily Hawaii Briefing / Aloha Today — Your Daily Hawaii Briefing — Sunday 2026-07-19
Transcript
- 0:00Aloha. Sunday morning in July — trade winds are in full swing, and the south shore is about to light up. I'm Mele with what's happening in Hawaiʻi today.
- 1:45Today stays dry and breezy across all the islands. Steady northeast trade winds and plenty of sun through the week. Windward areas might catch isolated light showers in the mountains, but leeward zones — Kona, west Maui, south Oʻahu — will be mostly rain-free. There's a Small Craft Advisory through 6 PM today for the channels around Maui and the Big Island, so those waters are rough.
- 2:04The south shore is running 4.4 feet — moderate and manageable, but watch the shore break and rip currents at less protected beaches. Kauaʻi is choppier at 5.1 feet. Maui's Kāʻanapali is smaller at 3 feet, and the Big Island's Hapuna is calm at 1.4 feet — easy swimming there.
- 2:18If you're heading to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island, several areas are closed: the Kahuku Unit Roads, Kīpukapuulu Trail due to hazardous trees, and the Lava Tube Bridge replacement work. Protect yourself from volcanic ash if you're sensitive to it. Everything else on the islands is operating normally.
- 2:34If you're thinking ahead to fall, our new piece on Hawaiʻi's waterfall season breaks down where the windward falls come back to life between September and November. It covers each island and how to hike safely once the rains start. We've also been writing about Kauaʻi's Nā Pali Coast access shifts in fall — kayak tours close mid-September, so if you're eyeing that trip, it's worth knowing what's open for October and November.
- 2:56Winds ease slightly late in the week, then pick back up Friday and Saturday. Nothing major changes — just the summer pattern you'd expect.
- 3:03The south shore is live right now. If you're a surfer or just want to watch the water, that's your window. Talk to you tomorrow.