Hawaiian Islands Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs / July 11-12, 2015

Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures (F) were recorded across the state of Hawaii Saturday…along with the minimums Saturday:

85 – 75  Lihue, Kauai
90 – 78  Honolulu, Oahu
84 – 73  Molokai
87 – 77  Kahului, Maui
88 – 78  Kailua Kona
87 – 73  Hilo, Hawaii

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

0.89  Kilohana, Kauai
1.85  Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
0.43  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.00  Kahoolawe
0.92  Kula 1, Maui
0.26  Kawainui Stream, Big Island

The following numbers represent the strongest wind gusts (mph)…as of Saturday evening:

15  Poipu, Kauai – NE
35  Kuaokala, Oahu – N
17  Molokai – NNE
22  Lanai – NE
22  Kahoolawe – NE
28  Kapalua, Maui – NNE
21  Kaupulehu, Big Island – W

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.

Aloha Paragraphs

We have tropical storm Halola…and tropical
storm Iune active here in the central Pacific
more information below

This satellite image shows moisture from tropical Storm Iune
moving north over Kauai and Oahu
Looping version

Low cloud swirl to our northeast…is what’s left of
former tropical cyclone Ela – Looping version

Showers over the nearby ocean…reaching the islands locally
looping radar image

~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

Our winds will remain lighter than normal…making for hot and humid conditions. Here’s the latest weather map, showing the Hawaiian Islands, and the rest of the North Pacific Ocean, along with a real-time wind profiler of the central Pacific. We find a moderately strong, near 1027 millibar high pressure system to the north of the state. Meanwhile, there are tropical cyclones south and southwest of Hawaii…moving more or less westward. The remnants of former tropical cyclone Ela, moving by just to the northeast and north of the islands this weekend…will interrupt our local trade wind flow in the process. Looking ahead, the trade winds will return Monday onwards, helping to sweep away the very muggy conditions from our islands then.

Our island weather conditions are very muggy…with off and on showers locally this weekend. There’s even the outside chance of a peel of thunder and a flash of lightning…especially during the afternoon hours in the upcountry areas. It’s not out of the question that we could experience some localized flooding as well, as this high moisture area moves across the island chain. In addition, there may be more showers arriving later Sunday into Monday, in the wake of the dissipating systems passage…which may keep the windward sides off and on wet for several days thereafter. Finally, this former storm generated high surf, which is arriving along our east facing shores now, it should lower quickly Sunday. I’ll be back with more updates on all of the above and below, I hope you have a great Saturday night wherever you’re spending it! Aloha for now…Glenn.

Here on Maui…it’s 555m Saturday morning, with partly to mostly cloudy skies over the the island. The mid and upper level portions of these clouds lit up a most beautiful orange and pink at sunrise! The air temperature here in Kula, at my upcountry weather tower was a warm 63.5 degrees, while it was 76 down at the Kahului airport, 75 out in Hana…and 55 up at the summit of the Haleakala Crater at near the same time.

– It’s now around 5pm, under clear to partly cloudy skies, and very hot and humid weather…making it feel even hotter than it is. There’s a bit of a cooling breeze at times, although when they stop, oh my, its like being on the equator. / It’s now 1005pm, under cloudy skies here in Kula, with light drizzle falling, with not a whisper of a breeze blowing…AND the outside temperature is 70.3 degrees, AND 79.3 degrees inside my weather tower! This is very unusual, very warm indeed for this time of night, and because it’s such a novel experience…I’m fascinated.

Friday Evening Film: I went to see a film that I was originally going to skip, although changed my mind for a couple of reasons, which I won’t go into. My friend Jeff Kuhn and I went to see Spy, starring Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale, Allison Janney, Jude Law, and Morena Baccarin…among many others. The synopsis: Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) is an unassuming, deskbound CIA analyst, and the unsung hero behind the Agency’s most dangerous missions. But when her partner (Jude Law) falls off the grid and another top agent (Jason Statham) is compromised, she volunteers to go deep undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent a global disaster.

First of all, let me say that I enjoyed this film a bit more than I thought I would, and had several laughs along the way. Melissa McCarthy became someone I am now aware of, and thought she was very good in her part. This was a pretty funny film, at least at times…which turned out to be an espionage spoof. Typically these kinds of films are ultra-masculine, so it was interesting to see this large woman “taking care of business” in no uncertain terms. It wasn’t a great film, although both Jeff and I enjoyed it enough to hand over a strong B grade. In case you’re interested in checking it out, here’s the trailer, which isn’t anything too radical. I was glad I saw it, and might even be tempted to see what will likely be a sequel.

World-wide tropical cyclone activity:

Source Eric Blake (NOAA), and Dr. Phil Klotzbach, Colorado.

The Central Pacific is breaking record after record this season…a quick summary:

Earliest storm during hurricane season: TS Ela July 9th, previous record was TS Wali July 17 2014

2nd earliest storm during hurricane season: TS Halola July 1thth, the previous record was TS Maka Aug 11 2009

3rd earliest storm during hurricane season: TS Iune Juyl 11th, previous record was TS Moke September 4 1984

In addition, 3 Central Pacific storms formed in only 3 days–the previous record was 18 days in 1982.

First time the Central Pacific has ever seen 3 storms in a calendar month.

Note that the all-time # of Central Pacific storms to form in one year is only 4…back in 1982.


>>> Atlantic Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclones

1. (Invest 92L)  A non-tropical low pressure system located about 115 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, is producing disorganized cloudiness and showers. Environmental conditions are expected to only be marginally conducive for the development of a subtropical or tropical cyclone during the next day or so while the low accelerates northeastward away from the United States.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…20 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…low…20 percent

Here’s a satellite image of this area…with what the hurricane models are showing

>>> Caribbean Sea: There are no active tropical cyclones

>>> Gulf of Mexico: There are no active tropical cyclones

Here’s a satellite image of the Atlantic Ocean

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

Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 5 days over the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea or Atlantic Ocean

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

>>> Eastern Pacific: 

Tropical Storm 05E (Dolores) remains active in the eastern Pacific Ocean, located 165 miles southwest of Acapulco, Mexico. Here’s a graphical track map of strengthening system.

Here’s what the hurricane models are showing for this tropical storm…along with a satellite image

1.  (Invest 97E)  Satellite images indicate that shower and thunderstorm activity associated with a low pressure area located about 1200 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California Sur has become better organized since yesterday. Overnight satellite wind data also indicate that the circulation is gradually becoming better defined. If these trends continue, advisories will likely be initiated on a tropical depression later today while this system moves west-northwestward at about 10 mph.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…high…90 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…high…90 percent

Here’s what the hurricane models are showing for this area…along with a satellite image

I just looked at several model runs, and see that both of these areas will likely become tropical storms or even hurricanes…although neither of them will move into our central Pacific.

Here’s a satellite image showing this area in 5-days

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

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

>>> Central Pacific:

Tropical Storm 1C (Halola) remains active, although poses no threat to the Hawaiian Islands…located about  725 miles west-southwest of Johnston Island

Here’s the CPHC graphical track map, along with a satellite image of this strengthening tropical cyclone.

Tropical Storm 2C (Iune) remains active, although poses no threat to the Hawaiian Islands…located about 480 miles south of Lihue, Kauai

Here’s the CPHC graphical track map, along with a satellite image of this strengthening tropical cyclone.

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

>>> Northwest Pacific Ocean:

Tropical Storm 09W (Chan-hom) remains active in the Yellow Sea. Here’s the JTWC graphical track map, along with a satellite image. Here’s what the computer models are showing.

Typhoon 11W (Nangka) remains active in the northwest Pacific. Here’s the JTWC graphical track map, along with a satellite image. Here’s what the computer model is showing.

>>> 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: Seabird Populations on the Decline – UBC research shows world’s monitored seabird populations, have dropped 70 per cent since the 1950s…a stark indication that marine ecosystems are not doing well.

Michelle Paleczny, a UBC master’s student and researcher with the Sea Around Us project, and co-authors compiled information on more than 500 seabird populations from around the world, representing 19 per cent of the global seabird population. They found overall populations had declined by 69.6 per cent, equivalent to a loss of about 230 million birds in 60 years.

“Seabirds are particularly good indicators of the health of marine ecosystems,” said Paleczny. ”When we see this magnitude of seabird decline, we can see there is something wrong with marine ecosystems. It gives us an idea of the overall impact we’re having.”

The dramatic decline is caused by a variety of factors including overfishing of the fish seabirds rely on for food, birds getting tangled in fishing gear, plastic and oil pollution, introduction of non-native predators to seabird colonies, destruction and changes to seabird habitat, and environmental and ecological changes caused by climate change.

Seabirds tend to travel the world’s oceans foraging for food over their long lifetimes, and return to the same colonies to breed. Colony population numbers provide information to scientists about the health of the oceans the birds call home.

Albatross, an iconic marine bird that lives for several decades, were part of the study and showed substantial declines. Paleczny says these birds live so long and range so far that they encounter many dangers in their travels. A major threat to albatross is getting caught on longline fishing hooks and drowning, a problem that kills hundreds of thousands of seabirds every year.

“Our work demonstrates the strong need for increased seabird conservation effort internationally,” said Paleczny. “Loss of seabirds causes a variety of impacts in coastal and marine ecosystems”

Such applications, he said, might include laparoscopic surgery, in which a robotic device could offer enhanced control and flexibility as it enters a body, moves around organs and bones, and then has the strength to accomplish a surgical task. It could find uses in industrial system, search and rescue robots, or anything that needs to be both resilient and flexible.

Seabirds play an important role in those ecosystems. They eat and are eaten by a variety of other marine species. They also transport nutrients in their waste back to the coastal ecosystems in which they breed, helping to fertilize entire food webs.

The study, published in PLOS ONE, is the first to estimate overall change in available global seabird population data. It is a collaboration between UBC researchers Paleczny, Vasiliki Karpouzi and Daniel Pauly and Edd Hammill, a lecturer at the University of Technology, Sydney in Australia.