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

86 – 74  Lihue, Kauai
89 – 78  Honolulu, Oahu 

87 73  Molokai
8973  Kahului AP, Maui

89 – 78  Kailua Kona AP
86 – 74  Hilo, Hawaii

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

3.04  Mount Waialeale, Kauai
0.97
  Poamoho RG 1, Oahu
0.29  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.00  Kahoolawe
4.32  Puu Kukui, Maui
1.56  Saddle Quarry, Big Island

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

22  Port Allen, Kauai – SE
15  Kahuku Trng,
Oahu – SE
25  Molokai – NNE
27  Lanai – NE

32  Kahoolawe – NE
28  Maalaea Bay, Maui – NNE

25  Kealakomo, Big Island – ENE

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.


Aloha Paragraphs

http://weather.unisys.com/satellite/sat_ir_enh_west_loop-12.gif
Category 3 Major
Hurricane 19E (Olaf) remains active to the
east-southeast of Hawaii…with a cold front northwest

Here’s a wind profile…of the offshore waters
around the islands – with a closer view


http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/EP19/refresh/EP1915W5_NL+gif/024327W5_NL_sm.gif

The weather models turn hurricane Olaf north…offshore
to the east of Hawaii…with no threat currently

 

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/west/cpac/vis.jpg
Some clouds surrounding the islands…while
hurricane Olaf is located to the east-southeast


http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/west/hi/vis.jpg
Clear to partly cloudy…there are towering cumulus and
thunderstorms near Kauai



http://radar.weather.gov/Conus/RadarImg/hawaii.gif

Localized showers falling, locally heavy…just west
of Kauai –
looping radar image


~~~
Hawaii Weather Narrative
~~~



Our trade winds will be light to moderately strong in general…into the new week. 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 high pressure system to the northeast of the state…with a ridge of high pressure extending southwest from its center. At the same time, we find gale low pressure systems far north-northwest of the Hawaiian Islands. There is an associated comma shaped cold front draping southward from this low pressure center. Meanwhile, former tropical cyclone Nora remains a trough of low pressure offshore to the west of the islands. Our winds will come in from the northeast to east-northeast, with no definite end in sight…well into this new week.

We’ll find showers falling over the islandsmostly along our windward sides. The recent showers, some of which were locally heavy, are now moving further offshore to the west of the state. We’ll drop back into a fairly normal autumn trade wind weather pattern. The leeward sides will be nice and sunny, and warm during the days too. The windward sides will be just fine as well, with most of the showers falling during the night and early morning hours. Looking ahead, the next cold front will approach the islands…although the models show it stalling over the ocean before arriving. There are no unusual weather conditions on tap for the time being…something a little unusual as of late.

Friday Evening FilmMy usual movie seeing friends are both out of the state now, so I was on my own again to see a new one. I wanted to see The Martian, although it started so late, and is a 2 1/2 hour film, and with my near 1/2 hour drive home afterwards, I just didn’t feel like being out that late, and have work to do…with such an early rise again Saturday. At any rate, in its place I saw one called Bridge of Spies, directed by Steven Spielberg, and written by Matt Charman, Ethan Coen, and Joel Coen. This film stars Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Amy Ryan, John Scott Shephard, Domenick Lombardozzi, Eve Hewson, Alan Aldaamong many others. The synopsis: Tom Hanks stars as the American attorney tasked with negotiating the release of a U-2 spy plane pilot who was shot down over Russia at the height of the Cold War in this historical drama from DreamWorks Studios. Steven Spielberg and Mark E. Platt produce a film written by Matt Charman.

What’s going on here? Every film I see these days turns out to be an A piece of work…and this one definitely qualified! In this day and age, with all the terrible stuff going on in the world at large, or at least what the media feeds us most days, this film brings back hope that good things can happen…or at least used to. I saw this film being masterfully done, from the directorial side, along with the story, and of course the acting. The film was a solid cold war drama, with talent shining brightly in almost every scene, despite it being a rather dark film. Tom Hanks once again, as so many times before…gave a brilliant performance. This film has been receiving high ratings, and who could lose with Steven Spielberg working with Tom Hanks and company! Here’s the trailer in case you have an interest in seeing it – best viewed in full screen.

Saturday Evening Film: My friends Jeff and Svetlana are back from traveling, so they asked me to see The Martian with them. The critics have been giving this film very high ratings, and was a film all three of us have been looking forward to seeing. It stars Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wigg, Jeff Daniels, Michael Pena, and Kate Mara…among many others. The synopsis: During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Millions of miles away, NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring “the Martian” home, while his crewmates concurrently plot a daring, if not impossible rescue mission. As these stories of incredible bravery unfold, the world comes together to root for Watney’s safe return. 

This film was very well received by the three of us, with our grades including two A’s…and an A-. This film gave the thrill of science and exploration, and of course, a full of measure of pure excitement. The three of us, all scientists, were giving a tough look at the places that might have stretched the reality of such an endeavor too far. Jeff and Svetlana had one or two minor questions, and I had one about the type of clouds in the Martian skies. However, easily setting those aside, the film was simply magnificent on all counts! The science was very believable, which made this dynamic film very fun to watch. The special effects were out of this world, especially some of the powerful storms, which really pushed these astronauts beyond their limits several times. In sum, Matt Damon did a truly outstanding job, which once again, helped put this film, at least for me, right up there in the top 5 or 6 of the year! Here’s a trailer, and for once…it isn’t full of violence.

Here on MauiIt’s 6am Sunday morning with clear to partly cloudy skies. / Now at 1050am, I’m back home from having breakfast out at the small French restaurant in lower Kula, with Jeff, Svetlana and another lady friend of ours. Skies have turned cloudy around the mountains, although the north shore is totally cloud free…while the leeward beaches look sunny to partly sunny.

Late afternoon, partly cloudy skies, with a mix of middle and lower level clouds…making for a nice day overall.

It’s early evening now, and with the high and middle level clouds around now…we could see some nice colors showing up around sunset.

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


World-wide tropical cyclone activity:

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

1.)  Showers and thunderstorms over the northwestern Caribbean Sea and portions of the Yucatan Peninsula are associated with a weak area of low pressure. Only marginally conducive upper-level winds and the potential for this system to interact with land should preclude significant development as this disturbance moves westward to west- northwestward into the Bay of Campeche during the next few days. Regardless of tropical cyclone formation, locally heavy rains in association with this system should spread from the Yucatan peninsula into southeastern Mexico through at least mid-week.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 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:

Hurricane 19E (Olaf) remains active in the northeast Pacific Ocean, located 1345 miles east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii, with sustained winds of 115 mph. Here’s the NHC graphical track map, along with a satellite image of this system…and what the computer models are showing

1.)   Cloudiness and thunderstorms extending from near the coast of Guatemala westward to along the south coast of Mexico are associated with an area of low pressure located a few hundred miles south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec. The low is interacting with strong northerly winds blowing through the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and into the eastern Pacific, which could temporarily be impeding tropical cyclone formation. Although some development of this system is still possible during the next day or so, a tropical depression is more likely to form around mid-week once the low begins to move west-northwestward or northwestward away from this region. Interests along the south-central and southwestern coasts of Mexico should monitor the progress of this disturbance during the next few days. Regardless of development, locally heavy rains are possible over portions of southern Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador during the next couple of days.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…medium 50 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
: There are no active tropical cyclones

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

>>> Northwest Pacific Ocean:


Tropical storm 24W (Koppu)
remains active over or near Luzon Island, Philippines, located 224 NM north of Manila, Philippines, with sustained winds of 63 mph. Here’s the JTWC graphical track map, along with a satellite image of this system…and what the computer models are showing

Typhoon 25W (Champi)
remains active in the northwest Pacific Ocean, located 236 NM south-southwest of Iwo To, Japan, with sustained winds of 115 mph. Here’s the JTWC graphical track map, along with a satellite image of this system…and what the computer models are showing

>>> South Pacific Ocean:


>>>
North and South Indian Oceans / Arabian Sea: There are no active tropical cyclones

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


Interesting:
Is tattoo ink safe? Tattoos really are more than skin deep—and that raises questions about their safety.

Many people enjoy the aesthetic beauty of tattoos. But the brightly colored inks that make tattoos so vibrant and striking also carry health concerns, report authors of a new paper related to tattoo safety.

According to the Pew Research Center, 45 million Americans have at least one tattoo; roughly $1.65 billion is spent on tattoos each year in the U.S.

Little is known, however about the safety and long-term effects of the inks used to create tattoos.

“Tattooing is perhaps the largest ongoing human experiment on the injection of particles and pigments with a complex chemistry into the skin,” said Lars Krutak, research associate in the Department of Anthropology at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.

Krutak is co-author of a paper in the The Lancet based on a conference on tattoo safety held in Berlin in 2013 by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment.

In the paper, “A medical-toxicological view of tattooing,” the authors discuss the composition and application of tattoo inks, their toxicology and removal, what happens to the pigments and the potential risks from the ingredients in newly developed tattoo ink colors.

Basically, the scientists determine that very little is known regarding toxicity and biokinetics (movement within an organism) of tattoo inks and whether they eventually convert into toxic substances in the human body. A 2010 survey in Germany found that 68 percent of people with tattoos reported a complication, mostly involving colored tattoos. Although modern tattoo inks contain mostly organic pigments, they also contain heavy metals, which may metabolize into toxic substances.

“There are no regulatory requirements concerning the production and sterility of colorants, which can carry multi-resistant bacteria and carcinogens and trigger serious allergic reactions and viral infections,” Krutak adds. “New research is needed to contribute to the future development of safe tattooing, and this article is a first step in the right direction.”

Tattoo removal is also an issue. What happens to the pigments after they are removed, usually by laser, is unknown. Laser removal involves several sessions yet sometimes a tattoo is still partially visible, as inorganic pigments remain in the skin.

Because tattoo inks are classified as cosmetics in the U.S., they are not required to be reviewed or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. With an increasing number of people experiencing adverse reactions from tattoo inks, the FDA is reconsidering this approach.

The article’s authors argue for greater consumer protection— implementing national and international standards, more stringent regulation and establishing legal frameworks to control the use of toxic inks.

A lifetime of internal exposure to a mixture of untested and unregulated pigments necessitates much closer scrutiny, the researchers conclude.