A kona low pressure system that settled over the state the first weekend of 2026 has moved on, and all the flood advisories issued by the National Weather Service ended at 6 a.m. Tuesday.

Hawai‘i County urges residents and visitors to prepare for a strong evolving storm system that could bring lightning and heavy flooding rains to Hawai‘i island this weekend and into Monday. National Weather Service GOES-West satellite image from Saturday morning, Jan. 3, 2026. (Image Courtesy: National Weather Service)

Emergency management agencies across Hawaiʻi are gearing up for potentially dangerous weather as a Kona low is expected to bring heavy rain, flooding, strong winds, and thunderstorms statewide

Strong winds will make travel difficult on Monday, and forecasters warned of more than half a foot of snow on some mountains.

All Hawaii islands remain under a flood watch through Monday afternoon as a Kona low weather system continues to drench the state. The Kona low is north of Kauai and will move south through Monday, before heading west and weakening Wednesday and Thursday, forecasters said.

Honolulu faces heavy showers and possible thunderstorms as a kona low shifts winds, with flood watches and various weather advisories in effect.

Timelapse imagery captured snow accumulating at the summit caldera of Mauna Loa, an active volcano on the Island of Hawaii, Monday.

Kona means "leeward," which is the side of the mountain that is often void of precipitation. However, when the moist air from the south and southeast rises up these mountains, it condenses and falls as precipitation.

The low-pressure system, known as a Kona low, is located north of Hawaii and is drifting south of the state while an active associated rainband continues to grow, causing dangerous weather across the islands.

The low remains west of the islands and will move southwestward further away from the state in the next day or so. As the low meanders away, it will begin to weaken, greatly reducing chances for rain for the Hawaiian Islands.