Hawaiian Islands Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs / September 24-25, 2015

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

85 – 78  Lihue, Kauai
90 – 78  Honolulu, Oahu – record high temperature Thursday 93…in 1966
86 – 75  Molokai
91 – 75  Kahului AP, Maui – record high temperature Thursday 95…in 1953
90 – 80  Kailua Kona AP
87 – 73  Hilo, Hawaii

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

3.19  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
1.15  Manoa Lyon Arboretum, Oahu
0.41  Kamalo, Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.00  Kahoolawe
0.40  Puu Kukui, Maui
1.16  Saddle Quarry, Big Island

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

17  Poipu, Kauai – NE
33  Kuaokala, Oahu – NE
27  Molokai – NE
28  Lanai – NE
32  Kahoolawe – NE
28  Kahului AP, Maui – NNE
31  Upolu AP, 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

Tropical Storm Niala…southeast of the Big Island

Here’s a wind profile…of the area around the islands –
with a closer view of Hawaii

Tropical Storm Niala southeast of the Big Island

Here’s a satellite image of this tropical storm, along
with what the computer models are showing

Clear to mostly cloudy skies over the state, with showers
falling locally, mostly windward sections – thunderstorms
to the southwest…with Tropical Storm Niala to the southeast

There are showers locally, mostly offshore…
although stretching over the islands too
looping radar image

Small Craft Wind Advisory…windiest coasts and channels
around Maui County and Big Island – through 6am Monday

Tropical Storm Warning…offshore waters to beyond 40 miles

Flash Flood Watch…Big Island this evening through
Monday afternoon

~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

Moderately strong trade winds prevail…becoming locally stronger this weekend. 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 high pressure far to the northwest and northeast of the state. At the same time, we see several early season cold fronts to our north and northwest. Our winds are arriving from the trade wind direction, and will continue to do so well into the future. As tropical storm Niala approaches Hawaii, our trade winds will be prompted stronger, and remain locally strong and gusty as this storm loses some strength south of the islands…and drops back into a weaker tropical depression.

We’ll off and on showers along our windward sides…a few blowing over into the leeward sides on the trade winds. Island skies will be clear to mostly cloudy, depending time of day and location. There will continue to be those afternoon showers forming along the Kona coast and slopes. The windward sides will receive the bulk of the incoming showers…although the leeward areas will receive a few at times too. There’s a good chance of increased showers later this weekend into early next week. The source of these showers will be generally from tropical moisture coming up from the southeast. The models go on to show the return to a more normal trade wind weather pattern by the middle of next week.

Tropical Storm 06C (Niala) remains spinning down to our southeast. Here’s a satellite image of this tropical system, along with what the latest computer models are showing. This satellite image gives a larger context of this tropical storm and the Hawaiian Islands. Here’s a near real-time wind profiler showing this counter-clockwise rotating tropical cyclone southeast of the Big Island. If TS Niala moves by to the south of the state, as now expected, trade winds would become locally strong and gusty. The islands will see increasing wind speeds, with locally heavy rainfall this weekend into early next week…especially over the Big Island. It would be wise to keep a close eye out…and stay tuned into this evolving situation going forward.

Here on Maui…It’s 540am Thursday morning, with clear to cloudy skies, depending upon where you are, showers are falling along the windward sides…into the northern central valley around Kahului and Wailuku.  There are thin high cirrus clouds too, which will light up a nice pink at sunrise. / 1105am, it’s a gorgeous day, as good ah day as can be during this early autumn part of the year!

– Early afternoon, and this totally awesome day continues to unfold. It is sunny, and I mean really sunny! It’s a perfect example of what an early autumn day is like. BTW, it looks very likely that a new tropical depression will spin up to our southeast later today. This TD will be called 06C, and if it were to strengthen into a tropical storm would be called Niala.

– Early evening, clouds along our windward sides, with showers. It looks like we might get a nice sunset this evening…in terms of pink or orange colors.

I’ll be back with many 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.

World-wide tropical cyclone activity:

>>> Atlantic Ocean:

Tropical Depression 10L (Ida) remains active, located 1205 miles east-northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands, with sustained winds of 30 mph. Here’s the NHC graphical track map, along with a satellite image of this system…and what the computer models are showing

Here’s a satellite image of the Atlantic Ocean

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

1.)   A trough of low pressure is producing a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms over the northwestern Caribbean Sea and portions of Central America. Development is not expected during the next couple of days while this system moves northwestward across the Yucatan Peninsula. A surface low could form once the disturbance reaches the southern Gulf of Mexico in a few days, but environmental conditions are not particularly favorable for significant development early next week while the system moves northward over the Gulf of Mexico.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…low…20 percent

>>> 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.)   An area of low pressure located just south of the Guatemala-Mexico border is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms. This system is expected to drift northwestward during the next few days and development should be limited due to its interaction with land. Regardless of tropical cyclone formation, this system could produce heavy rainfall over portions of El Salvador, southern Guatemala, and southeastern Mexico during the next few days.

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

1.)   A broad area of low pressure appears to be forming several hundred miles south-southeast of Acapulco, Mexico. This low is likely to develop into a tropical depression by early next week and move northward toward the southern coast of Mexico. Interests in that region should monitor the progress of this disturbance during the next several days.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…30 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…high…80 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 Storm 06C (Niala) is now active, located 460 miles southeast of Hilo, Hawaii, with sustained winds of 40 mph. Here’s the CPHC graphical track map, along with a satellite image of this system…and what the computer models are showing.

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