UH offers real-time access to Hawaiʻi Mesonet rainfall and wind data

As Hurricane Lowell approaches the westernmost of the main Hawaiian Islands, heavy rainfall and strong winds are a major concern. In response, the Hawaiʻi Mesonet and Hawaiʻi Climate Data Portal (HCDP) team at the University of Hawaiʻi created a new website to enable access to the most recent rainfall and wind speed data from Hawaiʻi Mesonet stations. 

The 75 currently active stations in the network provide detailed up-to-date information on a wide range of weather variables. With Hurricane Lowell forecast to make a close approach to Niʻihau and Kauaʻi,  interest is mainly on rainfall and wind speed. The new website provides up-to-date rainfall accumulation and maximum wind and wind gust speeds at Hawaiʻi Mesonet stations for the period starting Sept. 7, 12 a.m. HST. Data will be updated every 15 minutes.

“Events like Hurricane Lowell show us how important it is to have a dense network that covers all areas on each island,” said Tom Giambelluca, Hawaiʻi Mesonet project lead. “We urge everyone to pay close attention to updates from the Central Pacific Hurricane Center and warnings issued by the National Weather Service and county (Kauaʻi, Honolulu, Maui, Hawaiʻi) and State emergency management agencies.”

In addition to the new Hurricane Lowell website, the UH team provides summaries of recent extreme weather events and maintains a real-time weather dashboard offering public access to live weather data from 75 monitoring stations currently active across the state. The dashboard updates data every 15 minutes, allowing users to view current, localized conditions including temperature, rainfall, wind, humidity, solar radiation and soil moisture. This creates one of the most comprehensive and timely weather resources available in Hawaiʻi.