Air Temperatures The following maximum temperatures were recorded across the state of Hawaii Saturday:

Lihue, Kauai –                     83   
Honolulu airport, Oahu –      87  
Kaneohe, Oahu –              89
Molokai airport –                
85
Kahului airport, Maui –        87
  
Kona airport –                    85 
Hilo airport, Hawaii –           83

Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level – and on the highest mountain top around the state…as of 5pm Saturday evening:

Honolulu, Oahu – 82
Kapalua, Maui
– 77

Haleakala Summit –     M
(near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea Summit –   48 (near 13,800 feet on the Big Island)

Hawaii’s MountainsHere’s a link to the live web cam on the summit of near 13,800 foot Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii. This web cam is available during the daylight hours here in the islands…and when there’s a big moon shining down during the night at times. Plus, during the nights you will be able to see stars, and the sunrise and sunset too…depending upon weather conditions. Here's the Haleakala Crater webcam on Maui…although this webcam is not always working correctly. 

Tropical Cyclone activity in the eastern and central Pacific – Here’s the latest weather information coming out of the National Hurricane Center, covering the eastern north Pacific. You can find the latest tropical cyclone information for the central north Pacific (where Hawaii is located) by clicking on this link to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. A satellite image, which shows the entire ocean area between Hawaii and the Mexican coast…can be found here.  

 Aloha Paragraphs

 

http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/hawaii/images/s/hawaii-snuba.jpg
Trade winds…windward
showers at times


 

 

As this weather map shows, we have high pressure systems located to the northwest through northeast of the islands. Our local trade winds will remain active this weekend…increasing a notch right after the weekend for a day or two. 

The following numbers represent the most recent top wind gusts (mph), along with directions as of Saturday evening:

33            Lihue, Kauai – NE 
43            Kuaokala, Oahu – NE
31            Molokai – NE 
35            Kahoolawe – NE
32            Kahului, Maui – NE 

33            Lanai – NE

28            Puu Mali, Big Island – NE

We can use the following links to see what’s going on in our area of the north central Pacific Ocean
.  Here's the latest NOAA satellite picture – the latest looping satellite imageand finally the latest looping radar image for the Hawaiian Islands.

Here are the latest 24-hour precipitation totals (inches) for each of the islands as of Saturday evening:
 

1.89               Mount Waialeale, Kauai
1.06               Poamoho RG 1, Oahu
0.32               Molokai
0.02               Lanai
0.00               Kahoolawe

1.02               Puu Kukui, Maui
0.71               Kawainui Stream, Big Island
  

                                        Sunset Commentary: 

Our local trade wind speeds will remain generally in the moderately strong realm this weekend…then speed up some later Sunday into the early part of the new week. We find several moderately strong high pressure systems to the northeast through northwest of Hawaii…providing our local wind flow. The trade winds will carry windward showers our way at times, while the leeward sides will remain generally on the dry side. We can use this satellite image to see areas of clouds to our east and northeast, being carried our way by the trades. These clouds will bring showers periodically through the weekend. Then, after the weekend, the Big Island and perhaps Maui County may see the northern fringe of moisture, associated with a trough of pressure arriving…bringing a localized increase in showers into Tuesday. Then again, this moisture may just slide right past to the south of the state instead. The trade wind boost, along with those passing showers, will fade after Tuesday, with a typical trade wind weather returning Wednesday through next weekend.

Friday night film: I went to see of of the hot films of the summer season, called The Amazing Spider-man, starring Andrew Garfield, Rhys Ifans, Emma Stone, Sally Field, Martin Sheen, Denis Leary…among many others. The synopsis: the Amazing Spider-Man is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents' disappearance – leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father's former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors' alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero. ~~~ The critics have been generous with this long 2 hour, 17 minute film, and rightly so in my opinion. This film was very entertaining, engaging, and quick paced…which was perfect for me. There was lots of action, good special effects, and a nice slice of romance ta boot. As far as a grade goes, I think A- is very fitting, and not at all too generous. Here's a trailer if you're interested in taking a quite look.

Here in Kula, Maui at 515pm Saturday evening, it was cloudy and calm…while the air temperature was 73F degrees. The trade winds will prevail this weekend in the moderately strong realms, then increase a notch Monday and Tuesday…before settling down again around the middle of the new week ahead. The current flow of air over our islands isn't strong enough to trigger small craft wind advisories now. Although, as a trough of low pressure moves by to the south of the state by Monday, we'll likely see an advisory going up over those windiest parts of Maui County and the Big Island for a couple of days. Off and on passing showers will stick around along our windward sides this weekend, and may increase a bit Monday and Tuesday over the windward sides of Maui and the Big Island. None of these weather features will be all that serious, although will make for a few mild mannered changes…centered around the Sunday night through Tuesday evening time frame. As I was mentioning above, we'll grade back into a classic summer trade wind weather pattern by the middle of the new week onwards.

~~~  I went over to some friends property this afternoon, and helped them work. It was fun being in Haiku, on the windward side of east Maui. I've spent most of my time here on Maui on that side of the island, and it reminded me how much I like it over that way. I love Kula too of course, although the weather and vibe is really different here compared with down the mountain…closer to sea level. Haiku is tropical, while Kula has the big views down to the ocean, and is drier and cooler. We cut down some coconuts, sipped the milk and ate the thin meat too…it was fun wielding a machete again! I'm heading down to Paia with my neighbor this evening, for a few drinks and a pizza. Then, we're meeting a mutual lady friend of ours down at the beach for a glass of wine, and possible dip in the ocean. I'll have to let you know how all this turns out tomorrow morning. I hope you have a great Saturday night until then! Aloha for now…Glenn. 

[World-wide tropical cyclone activity:

Central Pacific Ocean:  There are no active tropical cyclones

Eastern Pacific Ocean:  There are no active tropical cyclones

DISORGANIZED SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY CONTINUES IN ASSOCIATION WITH A MID-LEVEL CIRCULATION LOCATED A COUPLE HUNDRED MILES WEST-SOUTHWEST OF MANZANILLO MEXICO. THERE ARE NO SIGNS OF A SURFACE CIRCULATION…AND ANY DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED TO BE SLOW TO OCCUR. THIS SYSTEM HAS A LOW CHANCE…10 PERCENT…OF BECOMING A TROPICAL CYCLONE DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS AS IT MOVES WESTWARD AT AROUND 10 MPH.

Here's a satellite image showing this area of disturbed weather

Atlantic Ocean/Gulf of Mexico/Caribbean:  There are no active tropical cyclones

Western Pacific Ocean:  Tropical storm Saola (10W) remains active in the Philippine Sea…moving in a northwesterly direction offshore from Luzon Island. Sustained winds were 40 knots, with gusts to 60 knots. It is expected to slowly increase in strength, attaining typhoon status by late Sunday. The latest JTWC forecast shows Saola moving directly towards Taiwan…and then likely across the Taiwan Strait towards mainland China. Here's the JTWC graphical track map, along with a NOAA satellite image.

Newly formed tropical storm Damrey (11W) is active in the western Pacific…moving in a west-northwesterly directionto the east-northeast of Iwo To Island. Sustained winds were 30 knots, with gusts to4 0 knots. It is expected to slowly increase in strength, although not attaining typhoon status during its life cycle. The latest JTWC forecast shows Damrey moving towards the mainland China coast…remaining offshore from southern Japan. Here's the JTWC graphical track map, along with a NOAA satellite image.

South Pacific Ocean:  There are no active tropical cyclones

South and North Indian Oceans:
There are no active tropical cyclones

Interesting:  Regular physical activity adds about four years to life expectancy, and endurance exercise during leisure time seems to be better at extending life than physical activity done as work, according to a new research review published in the Journal of Aging Research. German researchers gathered well-designed studies on one of the most basic, but important, questions in health: Does physical activity increase life expectancy?

In reviewing the results of the studies, they found the answer was an unequivocal yes. Among the studies, there was a wide range of extra years found for active versus nonactive people, from less than half a year in one study to close to seven years in another.

When the results of the studies were combined, the researchers wrote, "The median increase of life expectancy of men and women in the eight studies presenting data on both sexes amounted to 3.7 years each."

One interesting finding was that purposeful exercise might trump being physically active as a consequence of one's life. As the researchers put it, "Physical activity during leisure time seems to increase life expectancy more effectively than total physical activity."

A potential contributing factor here is that people who exercise regularly might have other good health habits, such as eating well and not smoking, while people who are active as a result of their work might be more likely to have bad health habits.

Indeed, the researchers note the strong cumulative effect of activity with other good health habits: "Subjects who never smoked, follow a healthy diet, are adequately physically active, and consume only moderate alcohol have a mean life expectancy that is 11.1 years longer than those who practice none of these healthy life behaviors."