Hawaiian Islands Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs / August 6-7, 2015

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

87 – 77  Lihue, Kauai
88 – 77  Honolulu, Oahu
82 – 72  Molokai
88 – 75  Kahului, Maui
90 – 78  Kailua Kona
88 – 69  Hilo, Hawaii

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

0.84  Kilohana, Kauai
0.34  Nuuanu Upper, Oahu
1.08  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.00  Kahoolawe
0.27  Hana AP, Maui
0.29  Kawainui Stream, Big Island

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

18  Poipu, Kauai – NE
31  Kuaokala, Oahu – NNE
22  Molokai – NE
14  Lanai – NE
18  Kahoolawe – W
24  Kapalua, Maui – NNW
21  Kaupulehu, Big Island – NNE

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

Tropical Depression Guillermo is passing by north of Hawaii…while
Tropical Storm Hilda is generally heading towards Hawaii

Real time wind profile of TD Guillermo and the Islands

Tropical Depression Guillermo’s track remains just offshore to
our north…steadily weakening

 
Tropical Storm Hilda is now active in the eastern Pacific Ocean,
although may pull up to the north…short of reaching Hawaii

 

TD Guillermo to the north…with its cloud-tail to the
south, which will likely bring the islands some showers

Clouds associated with TD Guillermo are moving into
the windward sides of the state…elsewhere locally

Clouds associated with TD Guillermo, the swirl we
see to the north…are moving through the state
looping radar image

 

High Surf Warning…east shores of the Maui, Molokai,
Oahu and Kauai…

High Surf Advisory…east shore of the Big Island

Small Craft Advisory…for waters around Oahu
and Kauai

 

~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

The trade winds are being interrupted by the circulation of tropical cyclone Guillermo…through Friday. 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 1030 millibar high pressure system to the northeast of the state. At the same time we have tropical depression Guillermo moving by just offshore to the north. As Guillermo moves by, our winds will be generally quite light, and from the east to east-southeast…although locally a bit stronger and gusty in exposed locations. The trade winds will fill back in over the state, first over the Big Island and Maui, in the wake of Guillermo’s passage beginning late Friday into the weekend…and beyond.

The outer fringe of TD Guillermo’s clouds will continue to arrive…although not as many as previously expected. Radar shows some showers falling, and most of those are over the offshore waters. The windward sides of the islands will receive more showers…although nothing near as impressive as previously anticipated. Nonetheless, we won’t miss all the showers, as the southern part of this quickly weakening tropical depression will push through our area at times into Friday. As the trade winds return late Friday or Saturday onwards, we’ll see just a normal amount of passing showers along our windward coasts and slopes…with nice weather prevailing along our leeward beaches. It looks like pretty normal summertime trade wind weather conditions will remain in place through the first several days of next week.

From the NWS office in Honolulu:

TD GUILLERMO…OR ITS REMNANT CENTER…IS EXPECTED TO PASS ABOUT 60 MILES NORTH OF MAUI TONIGHT…30 MILES NORTH OF OAHU AND KAUAI LATE TONIGHT AND FRIDAY

SURF…SWELLS ASSOCIATED WITH GUILLERMO WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE LARGE…LIFE THREATENING SURF ALONG EAST FACING SHORES OF MOST HAWAIIAN ISLANDS THROUGH TONIGHT

Tropical Storm 10E (Hilda) remains active in the eastern Pacific Ocean. This system has become more organized, and will continue to strengthen through the next 36-48 hours. Hilda will reach the hurricane stage, topping out near 90 mph just after crossing into our central Pacific in 36 hours. Here’s a satellite image, and what the computer models are showing.  It appears that this tropical system, in whatever form that it is then, may pull up to the north, just short of reaching our islands. However, it may be close enough to the Aloha state next week, to bring us a change in weather…stay tuned. / Meanwhile, there’s another tropical disturbance in the eastern Pacific, being referred to as Invest 93E, here’s what the computer models are showing for it.

I’ll be back with more updates on all of the above and below, I hope you have a great Thursday night wherever you’re spending it! Aloha for now…Glenn.

Here on Maui…It’s 535am Thursday morning, skies are mostly clear, with low clouds banking up along the windward sides…with falling showers. The air temperature here in Kula, at my upcountry weather tower was 60.8 degrees, while it was 76 down at the Kahului airport (with light rain falling), 75 out in Hana…with a cooler 50 up at the summit of the Haleakala Crater at about the same time. / Now at 720am, the windward clouds and some mist are extending over here into Kula, with a nice rainbow showing up now too. My wind chimes are starting to sound off as well, so we’re finally getting into a bit of weather. / 735am getting windy! / 855am, sunny again, with still these rather stiff breezes here in Kula…and I can see lots of gray clouds still hugging the windward sides. It looks really sunny along our leeward beaches in contrast.

– We’re into the early afternoon now, mostly clear skies, although with some cloudy areas around the edges…and mostly along our windward sides at the moment. Speaking of the windward sides, it was lightly raining at the time of this writing (105pm HST) at both Kahului and over in Kapalua. Here in upcountry Kula, it’s been breezy so far today, while many areas are having considerably less wind in action.  It’s interesting seeing that the center of TS Guillermo is so close offshore from Maui at this time!

– It’s now just before 6pm HST on Maui, under increasingly cloudy skies, which is bringing light mist to Kula. This morning’s windy weather here at my weather tower is now long gone, with a muggy stillness having settledin…as we head into the night.

World-wide tropical cyclone activity:

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

Here’s a satellite image of the Atlantic Ocean

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

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

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 10E (Hilda) remains active, with sustained winds of 60 mph, and is located about 1310 miles east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii. TS 10E will continue to strengthen going forward, becoming a hurricane Saturday. Here’s the NHC graphical track map, a satellite image…and what the computer models are showing.

1.)  A broad area of low pressure located more than 1000 miles southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula continues to produce disorganized shower and thunderstorm activity. Environmental conditions appear conducive for some gradual development through early next week while this system moves northwestward to west-northwestward at 5 to 10 mph.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…medium…40 percent

Here’s a satellite image of this area in the eastern Pacific – along with the NHC 5-day outlook

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:

Post-tropical cyclone 09E (Guillermo) is now dissipating, with sustained winds of 35 mph, and is located about 60 miles north-northeast of Lihue, Kauai. Now retiring Guillermo is now a remnant low pressure system…as it moves west-northwestward at near 17 mph. Here’s a satellite image…and what the computer models are showing.

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

“It’s as if in a city, there was a whole new genre of restaurant to try,” says geochemist Thure Cerling, first and senior author of the study published today by the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. “This is a record of how different mammals responded. And almost all of the mammals did an experiment in eating this new resource: grass.”

The experiment peaked about 2 million years ago, says Cerling, a distinguished professor of geology and geophysics. The only major group that still mostly grazes grass is the bovids: cattle, buffalo, sheep, wildebeest, hartebeest and some antelopes such as oryx and waterbucks.