Honolulu woke up to a murky start Tuesday, with hazy, mostly cloudy skies hanging over town, temperatures in the low 70s, and about 10 miles of visibility near Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. All of it is the calm before a powerful kona storm that is set to move in and linger, bringing several days of heavy showers, frequent thunderstorms, and gusty southerly winds. From Tuesday night into the weekend, flooding and travel disruptions are firmly on the table.
Flood Watch And Timing
A Flood Watch is already posted for Niihau and Kauai today and will widen to include Oʻahu starting tonight, Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. HST, continuing through Saturday, March 14, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. HST. Maui County is expected to join the watch Wednesday morning, with the Big Island following Wednesday evening as the axis of tropical moisture crawls east across the island chain. Read the official forecast from NWS Honolulu and see our earlier coverage as the kona soaker zeroes in on Honolulu.
Rainfall And Flash Flood Risk
Scattered showers are expected to ramp up tonight and organize Tuesday night into Wednesday, with new rainfall totals of roughly three quarters of an inch to one inch possible late Tuesday night and localized pockets of 2 to 3 inches on Wednesday. Repeated bands of heavy rain and thunderstorms could trigger rapid runoff and localized flash flooding, especially along windward slopes, in low‑lying urban corridors, and near streams. If heavier bands stall over the same neighborhoods, small streams could rise quickly and some roads may be closed where water ponds or floods.
Winds And Marine Hazards
Southerly winds will keep strengthening through the week, with sustained speeds commonly in the teens to 20s mph and gusts building into the 30s. Forecast products show gusts reaching into the low‑40s mph Friday night into the weekend. A Small Craft Advisory is in effect for waters around Kauai through early Wednesday, and mariners should be ready for rough seas and choppy surf on exposed shores later in the week. Strong gusts with any thunderstorms could knock down branches and cause scattered power outages in more exposed spots.
How To Prepare
Clear gutters and storm drains ahead of the heavier rain, move vehicles off streets that you know tend to flood, and secure outdoor furniture before those southerly winds really pick up. Do not drive through standing water; turn around, don’t drown, and avoid hiking in steep or muddy terrain while storms are active. Keep an ear on local officials and emergency channels if you live in a flood‑prone area. We will update this page as watches and warnings change; follow local officials and the National Weather Service for the latest advisories.
