Latest / Aloha Today — Your Daily Hawaii Briefing / Aloha Today — Your Daily Hawaii Briefing — Monday 2026-09-07
Transcript
- 0:00Aloha. It's Monday morning, Labor Day — and Hurricane Lowell is moving north toward Kauaʻi. I'm Mele with what's happening in Hawaiʻi today.
- 1:37Lowell passes just west of Kauaʻi tonight with damaging winds. The entire state is under a Flood Watch through Tuesday afternoon — expect 4 to 7 inches of rain statewide, with up to 12 inches in isolated spots on the Big Island. Kauaʻi faces the heaviest rainfall, flash flooding, and mudslides. Visibility will drop sharply on all islands, so if you're driving today, take it slow. Short-lived waterspouts are possible near Kauaʻi and Niʻihau.
- 2:00Surf is dangerous across the board. Oʻahu's south shore is 6.9 feet, the north shore 6 feet, and Kauaʻi is nearly 8 feet — all large and backed by a High Surf Warning through tonight. This is a watch-from-shore day everywhere. Even Maui's Kāʻanapali is running 5.1 feet. Stay out of the water.
- 2:14Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is open, though the Sulphur Banks Bridge is closed. The park is posting cautions about volcanic ash. State and county offices are closed for the holiday.
- 2:24If you're sheltering indoors today waiting for Lowell to pass, our winter snorkeling guide covers the calm south and sheltered shores across the islands — the spots that stay protected even when conditions are rough elsewhere. Once the hurricane clears and swells settle by midweek, those locations will be your best bets for snorkeling without drama.
- 2:41Conditions improve rapidly Tuesday as Lowell moves away. Normal trade winds and drier weather return by Thursday.
- 2:47Stay safe indoors today. Catch you tomorrow morning.