Weather Forecast

Hawaii County Weather Forecast for May 20, 2026

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Hilo

Rest Of Tonight: Mostly cloudy with showers. Lows 64 to 72 near the shore to around 57 at 4000 feet. Northwest winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90 percent.

Wednesday: Showers in the morning, then scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs 77 to 82 near the shore to around 66 at 4000 feet. Northeast winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.

Wednesday Night: Numerous showers in the evening, then occasional showers after midnight. Lows 62 to 71 near the shore to around 56 at 4000 feet. Northeast winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.

Kona

Rest Of Tonight: Partly cloudy. Scattered showers early in the evening, then isolated showers after midnight. Lows 66 to 75 near the shore to around 56 near 5000 feet. Light winds. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny with isolated showers in the morning, then partly sunny with scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs 84 to 89 near the shore to around 70 near 5000 feet. Light winds. Chance of rain 50 percent.

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Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers in the evening, then partly cloudy with isolated showers after midnight. Lows 66 to 74 near the shore to 52 to 57 near 5000 feet. Light winds. Chance of rain 40 percent.

Waimea

Rest Of Tonight: Breezy. Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows 64 to 72 near the shore to 59 to 66 near 3000 feet. East winds 10 to 20 mph decreasing to up to 20 mph after midnight. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Wednesday: Breezy. Partly sunny with scattered showers. Highs around 80 near the shore to 68 to 78 near 3000 feet. East winds up to 25 mph increasing to 10 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Gusts up to 45 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Wednesday Night: Breezy. Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows 63 to 71 near the shore to 57 to 65 near 3000 feet. East winds 10 to 25 mph with gusts to 45 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Kohala

Rest Of Tonight: Breezy. Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows 64 to 72 near the shore to 59 to 66 near 3000 feet. East winds 10 to 20 mph decreasing to up to 20 mph after midnight. Chance of rain 50 percent.

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Wednesday: Breezy. Partly sunny with scattered showers. Highs around 80 near the shore to 68 to 78 near 3000 feet. East winds up to 25 mph increasing to 10 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Gusts up to 45 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Wednesday Night: Breezy. Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows 63 to 71 near the shore to 57 to 65 near 3000 feet. East winds 10 to 25 mph with gusts to 45 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

South Big Island

Rest Of Tonight: Breezy. Partly cloudy with isolated showers. Lows around 76 near the shore to around 59 near 5000 feet. Northeast winds up to 20 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny. Breezy. Isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs around 87 near the shore to around 70 near 5000 feet. East winds up to 25 mph increasing to 10 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy. Breezy. Lows around 75 near the shore to around 59 near 5000 feet. East winds 10 to 25 mph.

Puna

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Rest Of Tonight: Mostly cloudy with showers. Lows 64 to 72 near the shore to around 57 at 4000 feet. Northwest winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90 percent.

Wednesday: Showers in the morning, then scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs 77 to 82 near the shore to around 66 at 4000 feet. Northeast winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.

Wednesday Night: Numerous showers in the evening, then occasional showers after midnight. Lows 62 to 71 near the shore to around 56 at 4000 feet. Northeast winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.

Waikoloa

Rest Of Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows 69 to 75 near the shore to around 57 above 4000 feet. Southeast winds up to 15 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny and breezy. Isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs 83 to 90 near the shore to 67 to 72 above 4000 feet. Northeast winds up to 25 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear. Breezy. Lows 68 to 73 near the shore to 53 to 58 above 4000 feet. East winds up to 25 mph.

Detailed Forecast

Synopsis

Trade winds will steadily increase Wednesday through Thursday night and will bring windy conditions by Thursday. Wind speeds could increase to wind advisory level, especially over Maui County and the Big Island on Thursday. Passing showers will continue to ride in with the breezy to windy trade winds through the weekend.

Update

Latest satellite imagery shows a band of moisture just east of the state which should be arriving late tonight into Wednesday morning. Scattered showers will ride in with the strengthening trade winds, which should mainly be focused over windward and mauka area. A few showers will also be possible over leeward areas. A drier air mass will move in late Wednesday into Thursday, but with the windy conditions, light passing showers are still expected over windward and mauka areas.

Prev discussion

Issued at 316 PM HST Tue May 19 2026 Radar showed scattered showers over the Kona slopes this afternoon, along with isolated windward and mauka showers on all islands. Cloud cover ranged from mostly clear to overcast, with the clearer conditions generally over leeward areas. Showers should weaken around sunset, but a few will continue overnight mainly windward and mauka.
Models remain consistent showing trade winds drying out and increasing in speed through Thursday. Higher wind speeds, potentially reaching wind advisory level, will arrive tomorrow and continue into Friday and perhaps Friday night. Showers will decrease both in number and intensity once the drier air arrives, with the main drying occurring Wednesday afternoon into the evening.
A consistent moderate to occasionally strong trade wind flow is expected to continue through the weekend and well into next week as a large surface high to our north remains strong enough to dominate our weather. A band or two of enhanced moisture may arrive after the weekend, but it's too soon to time that out reliably.

Aviation

Moderate to fresh trade winds will strengthen Wednesday and Thursday as high pressure builds. Showers will mostly affect windward and mountain areas as well as the night time and early morning hours. Drier air could fill in later tomorrow night, limiting showers.
AIRMET Sierra for mountain obscuration may be needed tomorrow morning, before drier conditions settle in later on Wednesday. The increasing trade winds and inversion tonight and Wednesday will likely require AIRMET Tango.

Marine

Issued at 316 PM HST Tue May 19 2026 Locally fresh trades become strong with localized near-gales during the latter half of the week. The Small Craft Advisory (SCA) remains in effect and will eventually be expanded to all waters as winds and seas build later this week.
Small, short to medium period NNW swell filling in today. This will be followed later this week by a small NNW swell emanating from a strong low near the Aleutian Islands. A series of small, long period SSW swells supports near-average surf along S shores. Meanwhile, strengthening trades maintain elevated surf and short period fresh swell along E facing shores into next week.

HFO Watches/Warnings/Advisories

Small Craft Advisory until 6 PM HST Wednesday for Alenuihaha Channel, Big Island Leeward Waters, Big Island Southeast Waters, Maalaea Bay, Pailolo Channel.

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Data Courtesy of NOAA.gov

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