Air Temperatures The following maximum temperatures (F) were recorded across the state of Hawaii Monday:

86  Lihue, Kauai
89  Honolulu, Oahu
86  Molokai
91  Kahului, Maui – Record high temperature for this date / 93 in 1979, 1992, 2004
88  Kona, Hawaii
86  Hilo, Hawaii


Air Temperatures ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level – and on the highest mountain tops on Maui and the Big Island…as of 710pm Monday evening:


Kailua Kona –  82
Kahului, Maui – 79


Haleakala Summit –    M
(near 10,000 feet on Maui)
Mauna Kea Summit – 37 (13,000+ 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 – if it’s working.

 


Aloha Paragraphs



http://polyad.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/HanaumaBay2.jpg

Typical late summer, trade wind weather pattern…with
moderate winds blowing into mid-week


A few showers around…mostly windward sections
during the night and early mornings




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

20  Port Allen, Kauai – NE
31  Kuaokala, Oahu – N
28  Molokai – NE
29  Lanai – NE
35  Kahoolawe – ENE
32  Kahului, Maui – NE
29  South Point, Big Island – NE


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


0.23  N. Wailua ditch, Kauai
0.42  Tunnel RG, Oahu
0.02  Molokai
0.00  Kahoolawe
0.00  Lanai
0.28  Hana airport, Maui
0.24  Pahoa, 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 Narrative ~~~



The winds will be moderately strong, gradually strengthening a bit more…then prevailing through the rest of this week. Here’s a weather chart showing a near 1023 millibar high pressure system located far to the northeast of the islands…which has a ridge running southwest to the north of the state. At the same time, we find a couple of early season cold fronts over the ocean to the northwest of Kauai. We’ll find moderate trades blowing, lasting through the rest of this week, weakening just a touch Thursday into Friday…then increasing again as we get into the upcoming weekend.

Windward showers at times, otherwise quite dry and favorably inclined weather conditions continue. Satellite imagery shows small areas of low level clouds…mostly over the ocean to the southwest of the leeward sides. There’s remarkably few clouds upstream of the islands, as we head into Monday night. Here’s the looping radar image, showing very few showers moving across the islands. Our weather tonight will continue to be favorable, with just a few showers arriving along our north and east facing windward coasts and slopes. Looking a bit further ahead, we may see an increase in windward biased showers in the Wednesday through Friday time frame…brought our way in association with the two cold fronts mentioned in the paragraph above.


Reflections from Maui:
Here on Maui this evening, there are clear to partly cloudy skies…although a bit cloudier over the mountains as usual as we head towards sunset. The air temperature here in Kula at 545pm, was 77.4F degrees, with partly cloudy skies at the time of this writing. Meanwhile, down at the airport in Kahului, it was mostly sunny at the same time, with a warmer 85 degrees. Glancing around in all directions, from here in my Kula weather tower, I see a few cumulus and stratocumulus clouds around the edges.


Meanwhile, its interesting to note that we may see moisture being carried our way later this week, the source of which will be the two cold fronts to our north at the moment. You can see these frontal boundaries by checking out this satellite image well to the north of the state. It’s easier to see these two early season frontal cloud bands using this weather chart. I’ll be back with your next new weather narrative early Tuesday morning, I hope you have a great Monday night wherever you’re spending it! Aloha for now…Glenn.


World-wide tropical cyclone activity:


Atlantic Ocean: Tropical storm 09L (Humberto) remains active in the far eastern Atlantic. Here’s the National Hurricane Center’s graphical track map…along with a NOAA satellite image. Here’s what the hurricane models are showing for this system.

 

SATELLITE DATA AND SURFACE OBSERVATIONS INDICATE THAT THE AREA OF
LOW PRESSURE...THE REMNANTS OF GABRIELLE...LOCATED ABOUT 275 MILES
SOUTH OF BERMUDA CONTINUES TO BECOME BETTER DEFINED. IN ADDITION...
SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAS INCREASED AND BECOME MORE
CONCENTRATED NEAR THE CENTER DURING THE PAST FEW HOURS...AND IF
THIS DEVELOPMENT TREND CONTINUES...ADVISORIES COULD BE INITIATED ON
THIS DISTURBANCE LATER THIS MORNING. THE LOW IS EXPECTED TO MOVE
NORTHWARD AT 10 TO 15 MPH...BRINGING IT OVER OR VERY NEAR BERMUDA
ON WEDNESDAY...AND INTERESTS ON THAT ISLAND SHOULD MONITOR THE
PROGRESS OF THIS SYSTEM AS A TROPICAL STORM WARNING COULD BE
REQUIRED. THIS SYSTEM HAS A HIGH CHANCE...70 PERCENT...OF BECOMING
A TROPICAL CYCLONE DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS...AND A HIGH CHANCE...
80 PERCENT...OF BECOMING A TROPICAL CYCLONE DURING THE NEXT 5 DAYS.
AN AIR FORCE RESERVE RECONNAISSANCE MISSION IS SCHEDULED TO
INVESTIGATE THE LOW THIS AFTERNOON.


Caribbean Sea:
There are no active tropical cyclones

AN AREA OF DISTURBED WEATHER LOCATED OVER THE NORTHWESTERN CARIBBEAN
SEA IS MOVING WESTWARD AT ABOUT 10 MPH. THIS DISTURBANCE IS
FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS THE YUCATAN PENINSULA AND INTO THE BAY OF
CAMPECHE BY LATE THURSDAY WHERE AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IS EXPECTED
TO FORM. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS SHOULD GRADUALLY BECOME MORE
CONDUCIVE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TROPICAL DEPRESSION BY THE
WEEKEND. THIS SYSTEM HAS A LOW CHANCE…10 PERCENT…OF BECOMING A
TROPICAL CYCLONE DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS
…AND A HIGH CHANCE…60
PERCENT…OF BECOMING A TROPICAL CYCLONE DURING THE NEXT 5 DAYS.


Gulf of Mexico: T
here are no active tropical cyclones


Here’s a satellite image of the Caribbean Sea…and the Gulf of Mexico.


Here’s the link to the National Hurricane Center (NHC)


Eastern Pacific:
There are no active tropical cyclones


Here’s a wide satellite image that covers the entire area between Mexico, out through the central Pacific…to the International Dateline.


Central Pacific Ocean:
There are no active tropical cyclones


An area of showers and thunderstorms about 600 miles south southeast of Hilo, Hawaii, was associated with a weak center of low pressure in the intertropical convergence zone. Upper-level winds appeared marginally favorable for slow development during the next 48 hours. There is a low chance, 10 percent, of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours. Here’s a CPHC satellite image showing this area.

Here’s a link to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC)


Western Pacific Ocean:
There are no active tropical cyclones


South Pacific Ocean:
There are no active tropical cyclones

 

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


Here’s a link to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC)


Interesting: Food and beverage dye going all-natural – As consumers are becoming more health-conscious and aware of chemical additives in their food, many are starting to stray away from anything that contains “unnatural” ingredients, including food and drink dyes. At the 246th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), this concern was one of the many topics discussed at the convention.


Food dye manufacturers have taken notice of this new trend and have begun to resort back to traditional ways of food coloring. Instead of using synthetic colors and colors derived from beetles, manufacturers have turned to root crops such as purple sweet potatoes (PSPs), and black or purple carrots. Not only do these veggies contain the natural colors needed for food dye, but they also promise antioxidant-rich substances that may have health benefits.


According to Stephen T. Talcott, Ph.D., “The natural colors industry for foods and beverages is gaining in value as U.S. and international companies move towards sustainable and affordable crop alternatives to synthetic red colors and red colors derived from insects. In addition to adding eye appeal to foods and beverages, natural colorings add natural plant-based antioxidant compounds that may have a beneficial effect on health.”


“PSP anthocyanins have proven to be among the best for food and beverage coloring,” he said, such as “fruit drinks, vitamin waters, ice cream and yogurt. They are stable, for instance, and do not break down easily; have superior coloring properties; and have a relatively neutral taste (in contrast to the slightly earthy, bitter taste from grape-based colorings.”


Additionally, PSP anthocyanins are easy to produce and are sustainable. Conversely, cochineal insects, which are used to produce synthetic food colorings and the “carmine” reds, feed on a certain type of cactus native to South America and Mexico. It takes about 2,500 bugs to produce one ounce of cochineal extract, used in ice creams, yogurts, candy, beverages, and other foods.


The only downside to PSPs anthocyanins is that they are difficult to extract. However, a new process for extraction is in the works to extract larger amounts of pigment from PSPs. Additionally, the starchy byproducts can be used as animal feed or raw material for biofuel production, making it a much more sustainable alternative for food coloring. This process could encourage development of a domestic natural food coloring industry.