With the approaching low pressure system due to arrive this weekend, bringing large waves and high winds, we started thinking about all the various resources available to check the weather reports and forecasts, and we wondered which websites and apps the surfers and mariners in Hawaii use.
According to our founder and director Dustin Tester, ‘nothing beats the coconut wireless with friends giving you their direct visual reports’ but when she’s looking for a wind report online, she uses OMaui.com .
“OMAUI.COM is my favorite for wind forecast because they have a specific forecast for Ukumehame / Thousand Peaks.” Dustin shared.
Dustin also frequently checks JP’s Maui Surf Report. It combines great action photos with lots of surf report information, in both technical and newbie-friendly terms.
“And I reference Magic Seaweed and Surfline from time to time. For the big picture weather report, or to check on advisories and warnings, I head straight to the NOAA website – I have it bookmarked to the Maui County Leeward Waters Forecast. And I love being able to check the conditions at Hookipa with the Mama’s Beach Cam, you can even control it, changing the direction of the camera, zooming in and out, it’s a great tool!
With a business that runs entirely based on the weather, our surf school manager Liz keeps an eye on the wave forecast with the Surfline Premium Account. “With the upgraded account, I get a 17 day forecast, which is really helpful in the off-chance that we need to reschedule students to a better day.” Surfline has forecasts for Olowalu and Lahaina / Breakwall, and by checking both of those locations, I have a pretty good feel for when the waves are going to arrive. With the smaller waves, having the tide chart along side the wave heights is very helpful as well.”
“With beginner surfers, the wind can sometimes affect our lessons more than the wind, so I check WindGuru daily. I like how the wind is color coded, and I get a 10 day forecast! For surf lessons, RED = BAD and Light BLUE or WHITE = good! “
“My husband is a fisherman and he checks out Windy.com to see what spots will be the best while out on the water! He’s the one who told me about this weekend’s weather system, before the weather reporters started talking about it! ”
“If I’m just looking for general conditions, rain, sun, etc, I love HawaiiWeatherToday, as Glen James breaks down the conditions for each part of the island in layman’s terms, and for each activity, so it’s great if you are looking to surf, scuba dive, etc!”
“When there’s a storm or hurricane coming, I’m glued to following Malika Dudley on Instagram, I love her passion for weather, and she’s great at getting the pertinent information out to the public. She also maintains the weather for MauiNow.com, which is another great resource. “
“Another website I just found is for Current Water Advisories around the state. It’s a quick and easy way to see all the High Bacteria Counts and Brown Water Advisories in one website.”
What weather websites and apps do you use? Leave a comment on our Facebook or Instagram!!!
For your bookmarking pleasure, we’ve created these handy links for you…
Best Instagram Meteorologist:
Malika Dudley
Best Wind Forecasts:
Best Surf Forecasts:
OMAUI.com
Surfline.com (Lahaina Harbor)
Best Hawaii Hawaii Weather Website / Blog:
Did we include your Best Hawaii Weather Websites. ? If not, send us a note at [email protected]