Latest / Aloha Today — Your Daily Hawaii Briefing / Aloha Today — Your Daily Hawaii Briefing — Friday 2026-08-07
Transcript
- 0:00Aloha. Friday morning. I'm Mele with what's happening in Hawaiʻi today. Winds are picking up this weekend as trade winds ramp to fresh and breezy across all the islands.
- 1:52Today stays mostly dry on the leeward side, but showers will pick up Saturday through Monday, especially on windward Big Island and Maui—those areas could see a couple inches of rain. Humidity will climb too. A Small Craft Advisory is in effect for Maui County and Big Island waters through Saturday evening. If you're heading to a leeward beach today, conditions are still solid.
- 2:11Surf is small across the board right now—Waikīkī sits at 3.2 feet, Kauaʻi at 3.3 feet, both comfortable for swimmers and beginner snorkelers. The Big Island is glassy at 1.2 feet. Southern and western swells will build this weekend, so south and west-facing shores will pick up. Today is still a good beach day if you're staying leeward.
- 2:28Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is operating with a few closures: Sulfur Banks Trail, Kīpukapuaulu Trail due to hazardous trees, and Kahuku Unit Roads are all closed. Kīlauea is at Advisory level—volcanic ash is a concern in the park area. Plan around those closures if you're heading there.
- 2:42If you're planning ahead to October and November, our piece on fall ocean safety breaks down where it's actually safe to swim once the swell pattern flips. Right now, the north shore is small, but come fall, that all changes. South and west-facing shores become the move. The guide walks through conditions by island, so if you're thinking ahead, that's worth a read.
- 3:01This weekend brings those fresh winds and increasing moisture, especially windward. By Tuesday, conditions settle back into stable trade-wind weather, with showers mainly on windward and mountain areas.
- 3:11If you're sticking to leeward beaches today, check conditions before you head out. Catch you in the morning.