Hawaiian Islands Weather details & Aloha paragraphs / December 31 – January 1, 2013

Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across the state of Hawaii Monday afternoon:

Lihue, Kauai –                          79  
Honolulu airport, Oahu –           78  
Molokai airport –                    84
Kahului airport, Maui –             81 
Kona airport     –                     81  
Hilo airport, Hawaii –                81

Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level – and on the highest mountain tops around the state…as of 1210am Tuesday morning:

Kailua Kona – 74
Hilo, Hawaii – 66

Haleakala Summit –   43       (near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea Summit – 41      (near 13,800 feet on the Big Island)

Hawaii’s Mountains – Here’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…if it's available.

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.  The 2012 hurricane season is over in the eastern and central Pacific…resuming on May 15th and June 1st 2013.

Aloha Paragraphs

Happy New Years!

Large surf on our north and west shores into Tuesday

Partly cloudy, with cloudy period, a few showers…
increasing tonight locally into Tuesday 

Our winds will be increasing now, becoming cool and
stronger Tuesday…from the north to northeast

High surf warning for north and west shores of Niihau, Kauai,
 Oahu and Molokai, and along the north shores of Maui

High surf advisory for the west shores of the Big Island

Air temperature at 1240am HST Tuesday morning, with clear
to partly cloudy skies, and strengthening northerly
breezes…at my upcountry Kula, Maui
weather tower: 56.1F degrees

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

15       Mana, Kauai – NNE
23       Kuaokala, Oahu – NE
10       Molokai – N     
16       Kahoolawe – SE
14       Kaupo Gap, Maui – NW 
M        Lanai 
23       Puu Mali, Big Island – SE

Here are the latest 24-hour precipitation totals (inches) for each of the islands as of Monday evening:
 
0.01          Waialae, Kauai
0.18          Waimanalo, Oahu
0.10          Molokai
0.00          Kahoolawe
0.91          Kepuni, Maui
0.94          Pali 1, Big Island  

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 image…and finally the latest looping radar image for the Hawaiian Islands.

                   ~~~ Hawaii Weather Commentary ~~~ 

Our winds will become stronger as we get into the first day of 2013…then stronger later in the week.  Here's a weather chart showing a near 1030 millibar high pressure center far to our east-northeast, with a ridge extending from its center…southwest over Kauai. At the same time, we find low pressure systems over the ocean far to our north, with a couple of weak cold fronts extending southward…over the ocean to the northwest and west of Kauai. These fronts will consolidate tonight, and push down into the state into Tuesday.

Periods of clouds, with a few showers…until the cold front arrives. Here's a satellite image, showing partly cloudy skies in most areas of the state this evening. There are high cirrus clouds that are moving through as well, which will give a good sunset, and perhaps a nice sunrise Tuesday as well.  In addition, we see a weak cold front approaching Kauai. Here's a larger satellite view of this weakening cold front…as it crawls in our direction. There were low cloud patches bringing a few showers here and there, although nothing much yet. Winds will begin to veer to the north through northeast during the night, and already are showing signs of that before dark here in Kula, Maui. 

This front, actually there are two weak cold fronts, which will merge and migrate southeast through the state, bringing an increase in showers first to Kauai and Oahu tonight into Tuesday morning. It should reach Maui County at some point later in the day Tuesday…perhaps stalling there. The northwest part of the Big Island may see a few showers from this dissipating front, depending upon just where it ends its journey.

A surge of relatively cool winds will fill in behind the front, bringing windward showers to the islands for several days. This solid trade wind flow will remain in place through the better part of this week. These trade winds will keep the remnant cold front's moisture over parts of the state, as off and on passing showers remain active along our windward sides. The trade winds may accelerate further after mid-week onwards. Besides the approaching cold front, the main thing today was the larger than normal waves breaking along our north and west facing beaches.

~~~ I'll be back later with more reflections, and probably some more music videos on this last evening of 2012! By the way, one set of my neighbors just invited me over to their place, as they had an expensive bottle of fancy Tequila they wanted me to taste. I had a very small sip, and enjoyed setting the evening off in the right direction! Now, I'm heading over to my other neighbors house, with Humboldt Fog cheese, a bottle of French Bollinger Champagne, and some Chocolate Raspberry cake to share. Talk to you in a little while, and if the clock strikes midnight before I return – Happy New Year!!! Aloha for now…Glenn.

Extra: music video, Gimme Shelter (Live)…The Rolling Stones – full screens please

Extra: You've Got It…Simply Red 

Extra: Over the Rainbow…Israel Kamakawiwo'ole 

New Years Eve: Here I am sitting in my Kula weather tower, sipping on Bollinger Special Cuvee, listening to pandora radio, the Thievery Corporation. There are fire works being set off in the area, but mostly small kine so far. Looking out the window, I see the very large moon rising up over the slopes of the Haleakala Crater…bright! It's getting close to the very end, The Very End of the year 2012.

Looking back, the most significant event in my life this past year…was losing my Father, Edward Eugene James. He was just short of reaching his 90th birthday. He and my Mom, his wife Dorothy, whose 90 years old this year, were married 67 years…and raised four of us kids. I was the older brother. I love my family, and am proud to be part of the James Family ~ Judy, Steve and Janet, who are my two sisters, and brother.

Looking back, surfing and weather, and of course women have captivated me. These were always my deepest interests, augmented by something I got exposed to at the University, called zazen. Which is simply sitting in an upright position with your legs folded into a comfortable position. The only other thing that happens, is the practice of paying attention to the in and out breath. Forgetting to do that, and bringing myself back to paying attention…that's it.

I'm still working at the Pacific Disaster Center, down in Kihei, here on east Maui…where I've worked for the last 17 years. As some of you know, I've been working from home during the last year, which has been great. Working in Kihei, and driving down from Kula was about 35 minutes or so. I did that for many years, and fortunately have always enjoyed driving, and listening to NPR on the radio going and coming back.

I believe you're quite well aware of my love of weather, and fascination with telling others about it…you in this case. This shared interest gives us an opportunity to be on the same weather chart, satellite image, model output.  I don't know most of you personally, only a few I'm sure. Although, I can see the number of you visiting each day, and it surprises me how many of you there are. I can see your number of page views using google, which gives me a good gauge of your interest. I had a long career in TV weather broadcasting as well, which was so incredible! Doing live TV on a statewide basis, was a virtual dream come true! I miss that, although my updating of this website of course provides me an outlet for weather discussions.    

The other thing, which I have truly loved…is the art of surfing. Riding waves has changed my life in some ways, ways that I lovingly appreciate, and always will. Waves, and the watching and riding of them, is one of my true loves in life.

In most ways, 2012 was a marvelous journey, so fulfilling and full. As my personal wish for 2013, I'd like to come down on the side of world peace, from the top to the bottom, side to side…all around this round planet of ours. I'd like to acknowledge our primary guiding light, the sun…and the moon too. Here's sending out warm love from Hawaii as we slide into the inviting fold of 2013. Aloha, Glenn

World-wide tropical cyclone activity:

Atlantic Ocean/Caribbean Sea:  There are no active tropical cyclones

Gulf of Mexico: There are no active tropical cyclones

Eastern Pacific Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones

Central Pacific Ocean:  There are no active tropical cyclones

Western Pacific Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones 

South Pacific Ocean:  Tropical cyclone 05P (Freda) remains active in the southwest Pacific…located approximately 285 northwest of Noumea, New Caledonia. Sustained winds were 45 knots, with gusts to near 55 knots. This tropical cyclone will decrease in strength through the remainder of its life cycle. Here's the JTWC graphical track map, along with a satellite image.

North and South Indian Oceans:  Tropical cyclone 07S (Dumile) remains active in the south Indian Ocean…located approximately 550 NM north of La Reunion Island. Sustained winds were 45 knots, with gusts to near 55 knots. This tropical cyclone will increase in strength, reaching 55-70 knows between 12-24 hours. Here's the JTWC graphical track map, along with a satellite image.

Interesting facts:  In Italy, people wear red underwear on New Year's Day as a symbol of good luck for the upcoming year. / In Colombia, Cuba and Puerto Rico families stuff a life-size male doll called Mr. Old Year with memories of the outgoing year, and dress him in old clothes from each family member. At midnight he is set on fire – thus burning away the bad memories of the year. / Food plays a big role in New Year's traditions. Eating black-eyed peas, ham or cabbage are thought to bring prosperity. However, stay away from bad luck foods like lobsters, because they move backwards, and chicken, because they scratch in reverse. It is believed that eating these on New Year's day might cause a reversal of fortune. / According to statistics from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, more vehicles are stolen on New Year's Day than on any other holiday throughout the year. / The top three destinations in the United States to ring in the New Year are Las Vegas, Disney World and New York City. / Many cultures believe that anything given or taken on New Year, in the shape of a ring is good luck, because it symbolizes "coming full circle".