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Weather RadarRegional forecast
Regional Kaua`i Weather Forecast May 26, 2026
West Kaua’i
Tonight: Partly cloudy. Breezy. Isolated showers after midnight. Lows around 70 near the shore to around 60 above 3000 feet. Northeast winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny. Breezy. Isolated showers in the morning. Highs around 86 near the shore to around 72 above 3000 feet. East winds 10 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy. Breezy. Lows around 69 near the shore to around 59 above 3000 feet. Northeast winds 10 to 25 mph.
South Kaua’i
Tonight: Breezy. Partly cloudy with isolated showers in the evening, then mostly cloudy with scattered showers after midnight. Lows 67 to 73. Northeast winds 20 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 40 percent.
Tuesday: Breezy. Partly sunny with scattered showers in the morning, then mostly sunny with isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 77 to 85. Northeast winds 20 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
Tuesday Night: Breezy. Partly cloudy with isolated showers in the evening, then mostly cloudy with scattered showers after midnight. Lows 67 to 73. Northeast winds 15 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40 percent.
Kaua’i Mountains
Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Breezy. Scattered showers in the evening, then numerous showers after midnight. Lows around 66 in the valleys to around 57 above 4000 feet. East winds 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.
Tuesday: Mostly cloudy. Windy. Numerous showers in the morning, then scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs 72 to 80 in the valleys to 61 to 66 above 4000 feet. East winds 15 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy. Windy. Isolated showers in the evening, then scattered showers after midnight. Lows around 66 in the valleys to around 57 above 4000 feet. East winds 15 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
North Kaua’i
Tonight: Breezy. Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows 65 to 72. East winds 10 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
Tuesday: Partly sunny. Breezy. Scattered showers in the morning, then isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 75 to 83. East winds 10 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
Tuesday Night: Breezy. Partly cloudy in the evening, then mostly cloudy with isolated showers after midnight. Lows 65 to 72. East winds 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.
East Kaua’i
Tonight: Breezy. Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows 64 to 74. Northeast winds 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
Tuesday: Breezy. Partly sunny with scattered showers. Highs 73 to 82. Northeast winds 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
Tuesday Night: Breezy. Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows 64 to 74. Northeast winds 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
Detailed Forecast
Synopsis
A broad ridge north of the Hawaiian Islands will dominate our weather into the weekend, with moderate to locally strong easterly trade winds. An upper level trough near the islands will help to enhance some of the trade winds showers in the near term. A new upper level low west of the islands by midweek could move over the islands over the weekend to enhance the trade wind showers.
Discussion
There has been some further tweaks to the winds for the week to bring them in better alignment with the latest model runs, that suggest winds will remain a touch stronger than previously anticipated. Otherwise the forecast remains the same as the update issued earlier today.
Satellite shows some showery clouds riding in on the trade wind flow. A ridge far north of the islands will remain in place into the middle of the week, with the pressure gradient over the islands steady. As mentioned this morning, some of the high resolution models would suggest some areas could reach advisory levels winds in the next couple of days, but continue to feel this is not representative of overall conditions.
The afternoon sounding from Hilo The overnight 12Z sounding from Hilo showed a fairly strong temperature inversion around 7,500 feet, while the Lihue sounding had a weaker inversion around 6,000 feet.
High pressure at the surface will linger through the week, with some weakening of the pressure gradient over the islands during the second half of the week. An upper level low has formed about 900 miles to the northwest of Kauai, and is expected to move towards the islands this week. The global models suggest that this could help to enhance trade wind showers at the end of the week. At this time, the global model thunderstorm probabilities are not impressive. Additionally, near normal 500 and 700 mb temperatures are expected in the global models. The GFS brings in higher precipitable water than the ECMWF near Maui County and the Big Island for the upcoming weekend. At this time it would seem the upper low/trough could enhance trade winds, but not expecting much beyond that based on the current model runs.
Aviation
Moderate to breezy trades will continue for the next few days. Low cigs and SHRA possible over windward and mauka locations. MVFR conditions possible in SHRA, otherwise VFR prevails.
AIRMET Tango remains in effect for mod low-level turbulence over and downwind of terrain across all islands.
Marine
Fresh to strong easterly trades will persist through the first half of the week as a strong surface ridge remains north of the state. This will allow the Small Craft Advisory to continue across most Hawaiian coastal waters through midweek. Expect a gradual downward trend through the second half of the week and into next weekend due to a weakness forming in the ridge as a front passes far to the north.
Surf along south-facing shores will gradually lower tonight as a lingering medium-period south swell fades. A fresh long-period south swell will arrive Tuesday, then build to near the seasonal average through midweek before slowly easing Thursday. A more significant long-period south-southwest swell is expected by next weekend due to a storm-force low that passed southeast of New Zealand over the weekend. Satellite data showed a large fetch of 40 to 50 kt winds generating seas of 35 to just over 40 ft, focused toward, or just east of Hawaii along the 190-degree directional band. Expect surf to begin building locally Friday with 20+ second forerunners, then peak above/around the advisory level over the weekend. For the long range, expect a similar trend to persist through the first week of June as the active pattern persists within our swell window around New Zealand.
Surf along exposed north- and west-facing shores will also continue to lower tonight as a small lingering north-northwest swell fades, but will trend up once again on Tuesday as the late season North Pacific activity continues. Although the bulk of the energy from this next swell will be focused northeast of the islands, expect long-period forerunners to arrive Tuesday, then fill in down the island chain through midweek. Above-average surf is likely by daybreak Wednesday near the peak before lowering Thursday.
Surf along east facing shores will remain rough through midweek, then gradually lower later in the week as the trades ease.
HFO Watches/Warnings/Advisories
Small Craft Advisory until 6 AM HST Wednesday 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.
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Data Courtesy of NOAA.gov
