Five-minute Hawaii conditions digest. Every Friday morning.
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Every Friday morning, Aloha Friday lands in your inbox with one quick read on conditions across the islands — surf heights, jellyfish risk, which trails are open, what's happening this weekend, and any new posts worth your time. No daily clutter. No main newsletter. Just Fridays.
It's a separate list from the Aloha Today podcast — subscribe to one, both, or neither. The digest is written for travelers in the planning window: people still 3–12 weeks out who want a weekly pulse on what Hawaii is doing right now.
Surf & Swell
Wave heights and swell direction for all four islands. Good weeks vs. gnarly ones.
Jellyfish Risk
Box jellyfish warning dates for the week ahead — calculated from the lunar cycle.
Trail Status
Open, closed, or permit-required — current status for the most-visited trails.
Events & New Posts
What's on this weekend plus the one or two new posts most relevant to your trip.
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What a Typical Digest Looks Like
Aloha Friday — May 23, 2026
Your 5-minute Hawaii conditions briefing
Surf · All IslandsSouth Shore Oahu 2–4 ft, building to 3–5 ft by Sunday. Maui north shore flat. Big Island east side choppy. Kauai south calm — good week for beginners.
Jellyfish RiskClear this week. Next warning window: June 10–12 on south shore beaches. Hanauma Bay and Ala Moana will be calm through Sunday.
Trail StatusDiamond Head open, no wait. Kalalau Trail fully open — overnight permits required. Waimea Canyon Drive clear. No active storm closures.
Coming UpKing Kamehameha Day (June 11) — free floral parades on all islands. Ukulele Festival at Kapiʻolani Park July 19–20. Pan-Pacific Festival Honolulu June 6–8.
New This WeekHawaii Accommodations Guide — live hotel and vacation rental rates by island, plus which type fits your trip. Also: updated reef-safe sunscreen rules for 2026.
Mostly dry skies across Oʻahu right now with good visibility. Light showers are holding to the windward side, nothing heavy.
Today and Thursday stay dry on the leeward and south shores. Trade winds are moderate now and strengthen to breezy by Thursday. Starting Friday, moisture increases and showers become more frequent on windward and inland areas — leeward beaches stay mostly dry but winds build noticeably. Small craft advisories are possible Thursday night in windier waters, then conditions get rougher Friday through the weekend. North and west shore swell holds medium through Friday, then rebuilds over the weekend. South shore swell drops back to normal after today.
Leeward beaches and snorkel spots work best Thursday while conditions stay calmer. Plan water sports in the channels for earlier in the week, before Friday's winds arrive.
0:000:63
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Sky's mostly dry with light showers on the windward side. Trade winds are moderate and visibility is good.
Today and Thursday stay dry on the leeward and sunny sides, though windward slopes will see light showers mainly today. Winds pick up to breezy by Thursday, then strengthen further Friday into the weekend. More frequent light showers move into windward and inland areas Friday into the weekend as moisture increases. A Small Craft Advisory is possible Thursday night in windier waters. Leeward beaches stay mostly dry, but conditions turn windy. North and west shores see medium swell today through Friday, then rebuild over the weekend. South shores stay elevated today, then settle to normal. East shores have small chop increasing as winds strengthen.
Leeward beaches and snorkel spots work best Thursday while winds are still moderate. Avoid water sports in the windier channels Friday into the weekend.
0:000:58
Voice
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Mostly clear skies on the Big Island right now, with light showers possible on the windward side. Visibility is good.
Today and Thursday stay dry overall—trade winds are moderate now but will turn breezy by Thursday. Come Friday into the weekend, showers become more frequent on windward and inland slopes as moisture builds in, and winds will strengthen. Leeward and sunny-side beaches stay mostly dry through this period. A Small Craft Advisory is possible Thursday night in windier waters. Surf near the north and west shores stays medium today through Friday, then builds over the weekend. South shores drop from elevated to normal conditions.
Hit the leeward beaches and get in the water Thursday while conditions are still calm. Avoid water sports in exposed channels Friday through the weekend when the wind picks up.
0:000:46
Voice
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Mostly dry skies and good visibility today on Kauaʻi. Light showers will stay on the windward side.
Trade winds are moderate now but will turn breezy Thursday, then stronger Friday into the weekend. Windward and inland areas will see more frequent light showers as moisture increases, though leeward and sunny-side beaches stay mostly dry. North and west shores will see medium swell through Friday, then rebuild over the weekend. South shores drop from elevated to normal. East shores develop small chop as winds strengthen.
Head to leeward beaches and snorkel spots Thursday while it's calmer. Save water sports in the channels for after the wind eases.
Created with AI from the official NWS forecast discussion · verify with NWS before heading out
