Hawaii Weather Resources

Essential weather tools for planning outdoor shoots in Hawaii. Understanding microclimates and weather patterns is crucial for successful wedding day coverage.

Official Weather Sources

National Weather Service - Honolulu

The official NWS forecast office for all Hawaiian islands. Most accurate forecasts and official watches/warnings.

HFO Main Page Surf Forecast Surf Observations Statewide Surf

Zone Forecasts by Area:

Pro Tip: Call the NWS Honolulu for specific forecasts: (808) 973-4380. They provide watches, warnings, advisories, and can give detailed area forecasts.
NWS Honolulu ↗

Sunrise & Sunset Times

TimeAndDate.com - Honolulu

Accurate sunrise/sunset times with monthly calendars, dawn/dusk times, and day length calculations.

Island Links:

TimeAndDate ↗

Bishop Museum

Hawaii-specific sunrise/sunset times from the Bishop Museum Planetarium in Honolulu.

Bishop Museum ↗

The Old Farmer's Almanac

Simple sunrise/sunset lookup by city for Hawaii locations.

Almanac ↗

SunriseSunset.com

Free printable calendars with sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset, and moon phases for Hawaii locations.

SunriseSunset ↗
Golden Hour in Hawaii: Golden hour typically lasts about 1 hour after sunrise and 1 hour before sunset. In Hawaii, this is approximately 5:45-6:45 AM and 5:45-6:45 PM (varies by season). The shortest day is December 21 (~10h 52m daylight), longest is June 21 (~13h 28m).

Local Weather & News

Hawaii News Now Weather

Local TV station weather with First Alert forecasts, radar, and Hawaii-specific coverage.

HNN Weather ↗

University of Hawaii Weather

Weather and surf reports from the University of Hawaii, including detailed atmospheric data.

UH Weather ↗

Marine & Surf Conditions

NWS Surf Forecast

Official surf forecast for all Hawaiian islands. Essential for beach ceremony planning.

What to Check:

  • Wave Height: 2-4 feet is ideal for beach ceremonies; 6+ feet may require backup plans
  • High Surf Advisories: May close beaches to commercial activity
  • Wind Conditions: Trade winds 10-15 mph are normal; 20+ can affect veils and audio
Surf Forecast ↗

NOAA Buoy Data

Real-time ocean buoy data for wave height, period, and direction. Technical but accurate.

NOAA Buoys ↗

Radar & Rain Tracking

NWS Radar - Hawaii

Official NEXRAD radar for tracking rain showers in real-time.

Hawaii Radar Sites:

NWS Radar ↗

Windy.com

Interactive weather visualization showing wind patterns, rain, clouds, and more. Excellent for tracking incoming showers.

Windy ↗

Photography Planning Apps

PhotoPills

Essential app for photographers. Plan sun position, golden hour, blue hour, Milky Way, and more.

Sun Surveyor

Augmented reality sun tracking. See exactly where the sun will be at any time.

The Photographer's Ephemeris

Web and mobile app for planning outdoor photography with sun/moon positions.

Hawaii Weather Tips for Photographers
  • Microclimates: Hawaii has many microclimates - it can be raining in Manoa while sunny in Waikiki, just miles apart
  • Windward vs Leeward: Windward (east) sides are wetter; leeward (west) sides are drier and sunnier
  • Trade Winds: Normal trade winds are 10-20 mph from the northeast - plan for wind affecting hair, veils, and audio
  • Quick Showers: Brief showers are common and usually pass in 10-20 minutes - don't panic
  • Rainbow Potential: Showers with sun behind you often create rainbows - be ready!
  • Vog: Volcanic haze from Big Island can affect all islands - check VOG forecast ↗