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

85 – 78  Lihue, Kauai
91 – 78  Honolulu, Oahu – record high temperature Saturday 95…in 1994
87 – 71  Molokai
91 – 68  Kahului AP, Maui – record high temperature Saturday 96…in 1995
89 – 75  Kailua Kona AP
88 – 71  Hilo, Hawaii

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

0.47  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.56  Oahu Forest NWR, Oahu
0.01  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.21  Kahoolawe
2.11  Puu Kukui, Maui
1.07  Waiakea Uka, Big Island

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

17  Poipu, Kauai – NE
24  Kuaokala, Oahu – NE
20  Molokai – NE
27  Lanai – NE
24  Kahoolawe – NE
15  Kaupo Gap, Maui – WSW
24  Pali 2, Big Island – NE

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

http://weather.unisys.com/satellite/sat_ir_enh_west_loop-12.gif
Large area of clouds and showers southeast and east of
Hawaii…with Tropical Depression 05C well to the west

Here’s a wind profile…of the area around the islands

http://www.prh.noaa.gov/cphc/tc_graphics/2015/graphics/CP052015W.gif

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/floaters/05C/imagery/ir0-lalo.gif
Tropical Depression 05C

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/west/cpac/vis.jpg
Thunderstorms offshore to the east…with
Tropical Depression 05C spinning to the west of
Hawaii…although it will be no threat to our islands

 

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/west/hi/vis.jpg
Generally clear to partly cloudy skies over the state…the rainy
clouds to our east will migrate westward soon, bringing
increased showers our way for a few days – some will be
heavy…with even some possible thunderstorms


http://radar.weather.gov/Conus/RadarImg/hawaii.gif
There are showers offshore…some are heavy…
a few over the islands – looping radar image

 

~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~



The moderately strong trade winds will remain in place through the rest of this summer season. Here’s the latest weather map, showing the Hawaiian Islands, and the rest of the North Pacific Ocean, along with a wind profiler of the central Pacific. We find a moderately strong high pressure system to the north-northeast of the state. Our winds are arriving from the trade wind direction, and will continue to do so through the new week ahead. This in turn will keep a late summer trade wind weather pattern in place, until autumn begins on Tuesday. There is no definite end in sight…to the current trade wind weather pattern.

We’ll find occasional showers along our windward sides…perhaps increasing during the first half of the new week ahead. There will be usual off and on showers arriving along our windward sides over the next couple of days, although nothing out of the ordinary. There will continue to be those afternoon showers forming along the Kona coast and slopes this weekend as well. Then, as we move into the last two days of summer into the first day of autumn (Monday-Wednesday), we’ll find a period of increased showers. Thereafter, the models are now showing a decrease in showers, with the possible exception of the windward sides…during the second half of the new week.

Here on Maui…It’s 545am Saturday morning, and its mostly clear to partly cloudy…with some showers falling here and there along the windward sides. The leeward beaches around Kihei, Wailea and Lahaina are nice and clear in contrast. The high cirrus to our south are lighting up a nice pink color at sunrise!

– It’s another great day here in paradise, with lots and lots of warm to very warm sunshine beaming down just about everywhere. Looking over towards the windward sides, it looks dry and sunny there as well, despite the gusty trade winds that are blowing.

– This evening Jeff and I are going to a performance at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center. This show will feature Keola Beamer, and other musicians. In addition, there will be a short film featuring the Haleakala Crater here on Maui. By the way, here’s a youtube video of Keola and Kapona Beamer playing their famous song Honolulu City Lights…full screen viewing is best. Here’s another video by Keola…called Ku’u Home O Kahalau’u. As it turned out another group, the Makaha Sons also played, which are also well known here in the islands.

I’ll be back with many 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.

Friday Evening Film: Well, this film is no light weight piece of work…that’s for sure! The first time I saw the trailer, I knew right away that I wanted to see it, despite its rough nature. It’s called, and talk about a heavy and dark title, Black Mass, starring Johhny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch, Sienna Miller, Joel Edgerton, Dakota Johnson, and Jesse Plemons…among many others. The synopsis: In 1970s South Boston, FBI Agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) persuades Irish mobster James “Whitey” Bulger (Johnny Depp) to collaborate with the FBI and eliminate a common enemy: the Italian mob. The drama tells the story of this unholy alliance, which spiraled out of control, allowing Whitey to evade law enforcement, consolidate power, and become one of the most ruthless and powerful gangsters in Boston history.

My goodness what a film, what a well done gangster film, which Johnny Depp carried on his shoulders…with excellent supportive actors across the board! Typically, we think of Johnny Depp being a clown or a pirate lately, or whatever. This film swings way way over in the other direction…and then some! It was a bit frightening to watch, with evil in full supply…brought forth in large measure by Johnny Depp. The film was remarkable, and I’m already reading that Depp may be in line for the best actor Oscar Award for his performance. It was a breathtaking performance, a masterpiece for this type of mobster flick.

I saw the film with my friend Jeff, and shortly after leaving the theater I asked him about a grade, and without hesitation he said A. As for my take, I’d sneak it into the very thin slot between an A and an A minus. Wait just a second here, I just watched the trailer again early Saturday morning, and it brought this great film back into focus…I’m changing my grade to a full-on A! By the way, the theater was one of the larger in this Kahului megaplex, and was filled with more than the ordinary number of women. I’m not sure they knew what they were getting into, although I’m quite sure that many of them came exclusively to see Johnny do his thing. Please let me warn you, this trailer is not for the faint of heart, however if you do take a look…its best viewed in full screen.


World-wide tropical cyclone activity:

>>> Atlantic Ocean:

Tropical Storm 10L (Ida) remains active, located 1120 NM east of the Leeward Islands, with sustained winds of 45 mph. Here’s the NHC graphical track map, along with a satellite image of this system

1.)   A broad area of low pressure is located about 325 miles east of the northeast coast of Florida. This low is not showing any signs of acquiring tropical or subtropical characteristics, and the reconnaissance aircraft mission scheduled for this afternoon has been canceled. Environmental conditions are expected to remain unfavorable for significant development while this low moves slowly northeastward away from the southeastern United States.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…10 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…low…10 percent

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

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

>>> Eastern Pacific: There are no active tropical cyclones

1.)   Showers and thunderstorms associated with an area of low pressure located about 175 miles west of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula are showing some signs of organization, however, satellite wind data indicate that the circulation remains elongated and lacks a well-defined center. This system still has the potential to become a tropical depression today while it moves north-northwestward or northward at 10 to 15 mph, and interests in the Baja California peninsula should monitor its progress. The low will be moving over cooler waters and into an area of strong upper-level winds tonight, which should lessen the chance of tropical cyclone formation. Regardless of development, moisture associated with this disturbance is expected to produce heavy rains across portions of the Baja California peninsula and northwestern Mexico today, and over portions of southern California and Arizona on Monday and Tuesday. These rains could produce life-threatening flash floods and mud slides, especially in mountainous areas.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…high…70 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…high…70 percent

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 Depression 05C remains active, located 345 miles south of Lisianski Island, with sustained winds of 35 mph. Here’s the CPHC graphical track map, along with a satellite image…along with what the computer models show. This depression will likely become a tropical storm later today.

1.)  Showers and thunderstorms associated with an area of low pressure located about 1200 miles southeast of Hilo, Hawaii remain disorganized. Although this system is not showing any signs of development at this time, some gradual organization will remain possible over the next couple of days as it slowly tracks westward.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…near 0 percent

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

>>> Northwest Pacific Ocean:

Tropical Storm 20W (Krovanh) is dissipating, located 541 NM southeast of Misawa, Japan, here’s the JTWC graphical track map, along with a satellite image of this strengthening…along with what the computer models show. This typhoon has sustained winds of 52 mph, with gusts of 63 mph – Final Warning

>>> 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: Up 72 Percent From Just Six Years Ago…Organic Farm Sales Soar – Americans are increasingly hungry for naturally-grown and healthier foods and, according to new USDA statistics, sales of organic farms in the U.S. skyrocketed in 2014…with consumer spending up 72 percent since 2008.

The 2014 Organic Survey, released Thursday by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), indicated that in addition to the $5.5 billion dollars worth of organic products purchased by consumers last year, there is plenty of space for continued growth of organic sales nationwide.

In fact, said Laura Batcha, chief of the Organic Trade Association, consumer demand is so high, its outpacing sales. “We need a higher rate of growth in order to get close to meeting the demand,” said Batcha.

NASS administrator Joseph T. Reilly added, “Producers reported in the 2014 Organic Survey that they expect to expand U.S. organic production in the coming years, making the data even more important for policy and programs.”

Reilly said the reports also “shows that organic producers are providing a wide variety of products to customers and are getting those items from farm to table more efficiently.”

As such, the report noted that nearly 50 percent of organic items were bought within 100 miles of the farms where they were grown or produced.

Demand for organic goods has risen in recent years, with increased consumer consciousness about the environmental impacts of factory farming and the agriculture industry at least one of the reasons for that trend. A report published in April by the Center for Food Safety also found that healthy soil, fed by organic agricultural practices, could be the solution to mitigating climate change and addressing food and water security.