Latest / Aloha Today — Your Daily Hawaii Briefing / Aloha Today — Your Daily Hawaii Briefing — Saturday 2026-09-05
Transcript
- 0:00Aloha. Saturday morning. Hurricane Lowell is tracking toward the islands — it'll be closest Monday night as a Category 2 or 3 storm. I'm Mele with what's happening in Hawaiʻi today.
- 1:33This weekend stays breezy with scattered showers mostly windward and in the mountains, mainly overnight and early morning. Sunday will turn cloudier and breezier as Lowell approaches. The real shift hits Monday night through Tuesday — heavy rain of 2 to 8 inches statewide, strong southerly winds, and very large surf on south and west-facing shores. Conditions improve rapidly Tuesday as the storm moves north.
- 1:54Surf is moderate on Oʻahu — 5.6 feet on the south shore, 5.4 on the north. Kauaʻi is already seeing large waves at Hanalei, 6.2 feet, with strong shore break — experienced swimmers and surfers only. Maui and the Big Island are still small and calm today, but that window closes Sunday as the swell builds.
- 2:09Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is mostly open — just the Sulphur Banks Bridge is closed while the boardwalk stays accessible. The park is on advisory alert due to ongoing Kīlauea activity and volcanic ash in the air. If you're headed there, protect yourself from the ash.
- 2:23Our guide on winter snorkeling breaks down which sheltered shores stay swimmable November through April, island by island, with daily condition tips. If you're thinking about a snorkel trip once this storm passes, it'll help you pick the right beach and reef — knowing where to go when the south and west-facing shores calm down again.
- 2:40Head over to our this-week section for what we're tracking.
- 2:43The snorkeling guide is worth a read if you're planning a winter water day. Talk to you in the morning.