Strong and gusty trade winds will prevail into Sunday as Hurricane Nolo moves toward the west well south of the islands. Deepening high pressure north of the state will produce drier and more stable conditions tonight and early Sunday, leading to continued strong wind gusts over and downwind of terrain, especially in west Maui and leeward Kohala on Big Island. The threat of flooding rainfall has diminished across Big Island and Maui County tonight, with drier conditions on Sunday leading to limited rainfall along windward slopes and dry conditions leeward. Trade winds will lower and shift out of the east-southeast Monday through Wednesday, and chances of rainfall will increase on Kauai and Oahu as moisture trailing Nolo moves over the western end of the island chain.
Gusty winds of 20 to 40 kt continue across most of the area, with isolated higher gusts as Hurricane Nolo passes south of the islands. MVFR conditions, with isolated IFR, will continue to be possible across portions of the Big Island tonight as showers continue moving through. Elsewhere, brief MVFR conditions are possible in any showers, mainly across windward and mountain areas.
AIRMET Sierra remains in effect for mountain obscuration across portions of all islands. This AIRMET will likely be needed through at least early Sunday.
AIRMET Tango remains in effect for moderate turbulence downwind of island terrain due to the strong winds, with isolated severe turbulence also possible. AIRMET Tango also remains in effect for sustained surface winds of 30 kt or greater across Maui County and the Big Island.
Tropical SIGMET Oscar covers Hurricane Nolo.
Issued at 509 PM HST Sat Sep 26 2026 As of 5 PM HST this evening, Hurricane Nolo was located near 16.7N 156.5W, approximately 165 miles south-southwest of South Point, and moving W at 7 knots.
The Tropical Storm Warning for the waters surrounding the Big Island and the Tropical Watch for the waters around Maui have been cancelled as Hurricane Nolo gradually accelerates westward south of the state. However, the pressure gradient between Nolo to the south and high pressure to the northeast will continue to drive strong to gale-force trade winds through Sunday and a Gale Warning has been issued for all of the Hawaiian coastal waters.
A combination of southeast swell originating from Hurricane Nolo and strengthening easterly trade winds is producing advisory level surf along east facing shores of the Big Island, Maui, Molokai, Oahu, and Kauai that will hold through tonight and then begin to diminish late Sunday into early next week as Nolo moves westward, then northwestward, and gains some distance from the islands. As it progresses on this track, the focus will shift to south facing shores as they receive at least a moderate bump to surf from Nolo on top of a moderate, long period south-southwest swell that began filling in earlier today and may approach advisory levels by Sunday afternoon.
A small, long period northwest swell began filling in earlier today and will continue to bring a small bump to north facing shores into early next week. A series of small, medium-period east swells are expected from Hurricanes Odalys and Polo in the East Pacific next week.
Wind Advisory until 6 PM HST Sunday for Big Island Interior-Big Island Southeast-Central Oahu-East Honolulu-Ewa Plain-Haleakala Summit-Honolulu Metro-Kahoolawe-Kauai East-Kauai Mountains-Kauai North-Kauai South-Kauai Southwest-Kipahulu-Koolau Leeward-Koolau Windward-Lanai South-Maui Central Valley North-Maui Windward West-Molokai Leeward South-Molokai North-Molokai West-Niihau- Oahu North Shore-Olomana-South Maui/Upcountry-Waianae Coast- Waianae Mountains.
High Surf Advisory until 6 PM HST Sunday for Big Island East-Big Island North-Kauai East-Kauai South-Kipahulu-Koolau Windward- Maui Windward West-Molokai Southeast-Molokai Windward-Olomana- South Haleakala-Windward Haleakala.
High Wind Warning until 6 PM HST Sunday for Big Island North-Big Island South-Kohala-Lanai Leeward-Lanai Mauka-Lanai Windward- Maui Central Valley South-Maui Leeward West-Molokai Southeast- Molokai Windward-South Haleakala-Windward Haleakala.
Flood Watch until 6 AM HST Sunday for Big Island East-Big Island Interior-Big Island North-Big Island South-Big Island Southeast- Big Island Summits-Kohala-Kona.
High Surf Warning until 6 AM HST Sunday for Big Island South-Big Island Southeast.
High Surf Advisory from 6 AM to 6 PM HST Sunday for Big Island Southeast.
Gale Warning until 6 PM HST Sunday for Alenuihaha Channel-Big Island Leeward Waters-Big Island Southeast Waters-Big Island Windward Waters-Kaiwi Channel-Kauai Channel-Kauai Leeward Waters- Kauai Northwest Waters-Kauai Windward Waters-Maalaea Bay-Maui County Leeward Waters-Maui County Windward Waters-Oahu Leeward Waters-Oahu Windward Waters-Pailolo Channel.
