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

82 – 73  Lihue, Kauai
83 – 74  Honolulu, Oahu

86 – 73  Molokai AP
91 – 73  Kahului AP, Maui / The record for the date was 94…back in 1996
87 – 77  Kailua Kona
85 – 68 
Hilo AP, Hawaii

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

0.94  Wainiha, Kauai
0.66  Poamoho RG 1,
Oahu
0.18  Puu Alii, Molokai
0.09  Lanai
0.00  Kahoolawe
0.50  Puu Kukui, Maui
0.66  Mountain View, Big Island

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

16  Poipu, Kauai
25  Honolulu AP,
Oahu
28  Molokai
22  Lanai

38  Kahoolawe
33  Kahului AP, Maui

30  South Point, Big Island

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
Low pressure system far north of Hawaii…with
its trailing cold front

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/west/cpac/ir4.jpg
Thunderstorms southeast of the islands

 

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/west/hi/ir4.jpg
Clouds locally over the islands…the brighter ones are higher

 

http://radar.weather.gov/Conus/RadarImg/hawaii.gif
Showers mostly over the offshore waters, although
impacting the islands locally as well…some heavy
Looping radar image

High Surf Advisory…south facing shores into Monday

Small Craft Advisory…Kauai northwest waters, Oahu
windward waters, Kaiwi Channel, Maui County windward
waters, Maalaea Bay, Pailolo and Alenuihaha Channels,
leeward and southeast waters of the Big Island

~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

Moderately strong trade winds…turning stronger into the new week. Here’s the latest weather map, showing moderately strong high pressure systems north and north-northeast of Hawaii. There’s a surface trough of low pressure now over the islands. The latest forecast suggests we’ll see a minor easing of our trades today into the night. This will occur as the trough resides in our area, then picking up a notch or two later Monday…through most of the new week.

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

Here’s the Hawaiian Islands Sulfate Aerosol animated graphic showing vog forecast

Off and on showers, mostly along the windward sides…into the first half of the new week. The atmosphere rather unstable, which will lead to localized shower activity at times. This unsettled situation will result in downpours here and there. The name of the game will be wet trade winds, bringing showers to the windward sides, quite numerous once they get started. As the trade winds pick up further…some of these showers will spread over into the leeward sides locally as well. We should see these unusual showers backing off some Wednesday through Friday…with another possible increase in showers for the windward sides next weekend.

Marine environment details: Moderate to fresh trade winds will build back over the chain and we’ll see Small Craft Advisory (SCA) winds in the breezier spots for most of the week. Currently the SCA is for the windier channels and areas from Molokai to the Big Island until Tuesday…although there may be a need to expand it further with time.

Guidance shows the current south swell will likely remain at High Surf Advisory levels through Monday, then gradually decline just in time for the arrival of a reinforcing swell on Tuesday. This swell will probably be just below advisory levels. Meanwhile, rough and choppy surf on the east sides of the islands, will we increasing as breezy trades hold on for much of the new week.

 

  http://tmghawaiiltd.com/newsletters/nov2012/nov2012_files/399.jpg
Showers will be active across parts of the state


Here on Maui
– Early Sunday morning is dawning mostly clear to partly cloudy, with the usual windward clouds some showers. Looking out the windows of my weather tower before sunrise, these low clouds are stretching from the windward sides over the West Maui Mountains. The leeward sides are mostly clear, with just a few exceptions. The air temperature was 55.9F degrees at 541am. Meanwhile, at about the same time, the Kahului airport was reporting cloudy skies, with a temperature of 74 degrees, while Hana and Maalaea Bay were both 72…and the summit of the Haleakala Crater was registering 43 degree. / Now at 650am, skies have become less cloudy, although radar shows considerable shower activity is on the fairly close horizon.

Middle afternoon Sunday, there are clouds around, lots of them in fact, however, the rainy weather that I had expected…hasn’t materialized. This may still occur, and looking at the radar image, showers are rather sparse around the state at the time of this writing, which is 305pm. There are some heavier showers focusing on the Big Island and offshore from there, although not from Maui up through Oahu and Kauai. / Now at 420pm the clouds are becoming darker and thicker, and I’m beginning to get a couple of light sprinkles here in Kula.

Early evening, there’s still lots of clouds around, with showers falling locally. Here in Kula, there’s been a very light shower, although less than .01″…more like a trace so far.

 

Friday Evening Film: Jeff just flew in from the mainland, but was up for a film, so we headed downtown for dinner and to take in a new flick. This time we saw the one called Now You See Me 2, starring Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Lizzy Caplan, Daniel Radcliffe, Justine Wachsberger, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Sanaa Lathan...among many others.

The synopsis: the Four Horsemen (Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Lizzy Caplan) return for a second mind-bending adventure, elevating the limits of stage illusion to new heights and taking them around the globe. One year after outwitting the FBI and winning the public’s adulation with their Robin Hood-style magic spectacles, the illusionists resurface for a comeback performance in hopes of exposing the unethical practices of a tech magnate. The man behind their vanishing act is none other than Walter Mabry (Daniel Radcliffe), a tech prodigy who threatens the Horsemen into pulling off their most impossible heist yet. Their only hope is to perform one last unprecedented stunt to clear their names and reveal the mastermind behind it all.

By the way, despite all the famous actors in this film, the critics weren’t being very generous, apparently not all that impressed with the film. This was one of the first films that I’ve see lately, that the theater, the largest one at this particular complex…had every seat filled. Thus, the general audience had pretty high expectations it seemed. As Jeff mentioned afterwards, he was entertained, although for me, it was a bit thin and too scattered. I have to say I wasn’t all that impressed, and I actually dozed off briefly a couple of times, which is unusual for me. As one critic said, “Despite some entertaining moments, Now You See Me 2 is largely an exercise of style over substance when it’s all said and done.” I had hoped for more, and I came up short, mustering up a solid B grade at best. As for Jeff, he was more taken, turning over a B+ rating. If you’re interested, here’s the trailer for this film…being billed as a mystery filled with suspense.

Sunday Evening Film: Jeff invited me over to see a film called Youth (2015), starring Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel, Rachel Weisz, Paul Dano, Jane Fonda, and Poppy Corby-Tuech…among many others. The synopsis: Yuth is about two longtime friends vacationing in the Swiss Alps. Oscar winning actor Michael Caine plays Fred, an acclaimed composer and conductor, who brings along his daughter (Rachel Weisz) and best friend Mick (Harvey Keitel), a renowned filmmaker. While Mick scrambles to finish the screenplay for what he imagines will be his last important film, Fred has no intention of resuming his musical career. The two men reflect on their past, each finding that some of the most important experiences can come later in life.

Let me start right off by giving you my grade, which was a solid A, and though Jeff didn’t exactly say what rating he was serving up, it seemed as though he was right up there too. His immediate response was that it left him speechless. I greatly enjoyed every aspect of this film, it was one of those films that is just above all the rest that I see so regularly. As one critic said, “Incredible reflection about age and friendship with unforgettable performances.” I laughed, and I cried a little too, it took me to both edges…and filled in the middle so beautifully as well. I read about this film in a magazine I subscribe to called Interview, and just happened to suggest we see it sometime. It just turned out to be sooner than I expected, and it has lifted my spirits so nicely. The music, the acting, the cinematography, were all top notch! I highly recommend seeing this film, and if you are moved…here’s the trailer – full view is best.

 

World-wide tropical cyclone activity:

>>> Atlantic Ocean: No active tropical cyclones

Here’s the 5-day Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook

Here’s a satellite image of the Atlantic Ocean

>>> Caribbean Sea: No active tropical cyclones

>>> Gulf of Mexico: 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: No active tropical cyclones

An area of low pressure is expected to develop south of the coast of southern Mexico in a couple of days in association with a tropical wave that is currently located near the Gulf of Tehuantepec. Environmental conditions are expected to be conducive for gradual development of this system, and a tropical depression could form later this week while the disturbance moves westward or west-northwestward.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…10 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…medium…50 percent

Here’s the 5-day graphical 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
: No active tropical cyclones

No tropical cyclones expected through the next two days…

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

>>> Northwest Pacific Ocean: No active tropical cyclones

>>>
South Pacific Ocean:
No active tropical cyclones


>>>
North and South Indian Oceans / Arabian Sea:
No active tropical cyclones

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


Interesting:
Fish use tools!
Fish: charming, but not terribly bright, right? That’s been the party line for years, but it turns out that it’s not quite accurate.

Some fish actually use tools, and as researcher Culum Brown points out, the lack of studies on fish populations means that we don’t actually know the extent of this skill. Opening our eyes a little might reveal some fascinating new information about creatures we’ve traditionally identified as sitting at the lowest rung of animal life — even some vegetarians don’t see a conflict with including fish in their diets!

The first documented instance of tool use by a fish occurred in 2011, when a diver noticed a blackspot tuskfish doing something odd as he drifted along the Great Barrier Reef. When the diver investigated, he found that the fish was using a rock to crack open clam shells in order to access the meat inside. It showed a degree of resourcefulness that researchers hadn’t expected to see in fish — and it wasn’t the only intelligent tuskfish behavior.

Clams burrow into the ocean floor, which means that a fish can’t spot them with a superficial glance. Another tuskfish elsewhere in the Pacific uses its gills to generate a miniature wave that pushes sand away, uncovering what lies beneath. Both tactics reflect an understanding of the basics of physics, and the ability to identify a challenge in the natural environment and figure out how to address it.

Meanwhile, archerfish use another creative tactic while hunting: They turn their mouths into weapons, creating jets of water that knock insects off low-hanging branches and marshy banks. This isn’t just about good aim — it also requires the acquisition of a skill that involves using the environment around the fish to achieve a goal. They can even bring down flying insects, which also requires a certain amount of physics know-how.

A laboratory study with stingrays showed them using a similar tactic to get food out of tubes — again illustrating that at least some fish are capable of critical thinking to solve a problem.

Cod exhibit another interesting example of tool use. In a study exploring whether the fish could learn to use a string to activate a feeder — pulling on the string released food, creating a positive association with the desired behavior — the researchers found something unexpected.

Most of the fish did indeed figure out how to operate the feeder — and quite quickly — but then, they took it to the next level. After accidentally snagging their tags on the end of the string a few times, the fish started activating it with their tags alone, rather than using their mouths. They’d reasoned how the feeder worked and developed a tool, of sorts, for making it function.

These instances show that there’s a lot more to learn about fish. While it’s unlikely that every fish species uses tools and exhibits complex problem solving, we still might be underestimating their abilities.

When people draw distinctions between species, critical thought is often an important qualifier. What would it mean if fish turn out to be smarter than we think?