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

84 – 71  Lihue, Kauai
82 – 75 
Honolulu, Oahu
8273  Kahului AP, Maui
84 – 70 
Kona Int’l AP
81 –
60 
Hilo AP, Hawaii

Here are the latest 24-hour precipitation totals (inches) for each of the islands as of Monday morning:

2.44  Waiale, Kauai
0.32  Ahuimanu Loop, Oahu
0.06  Molokai
0.02 
Lanai
0.05  Kahoolawe
0.53  Kepuni, Maui
0.08  Waiakea,
Big Island

The following numbers represent the strongest wind gusts (mph) as of Monday morning:

29  Port Allen, Kauai
23  Makua Range,
Oahu
30  Molokai
24  Lanai
21  Kahoolawe
31  Kapalua, Maui 

28  Ahumoa, Big Island

Hawaii’s MountainsHere’s a link to the live webcam on the summit of our tallest mountain Mauna Kea (nearly 13,800 feet high) on the Big Island of Hawaii. This webcam is available during the daylight hours here in the islands, and at night whenever there’s a big moon shining down. Also, at night you will be able to see the stars — and the sunrise and sunset too — depending upon weather conditions.


Aloha Paragraphs

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A cold front is moving through the state

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This weather feature is bringing gusty kona winds…at least locally

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The cold front has passed over Kauai…now reaching Oahu

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Showers falling locally…some generous along the front –
Looping radar image

 

 

Gale Warning…offshore waters beyond 40 miles

High Wind Warning…Big Island Summits / 55-65 with 75 mph gusts


Wind Advisory
…windiest areas on Oahu, Maui County and Big Island summits


Small Craft Advisory
…all coastal and channel waters

 

High Surf Advisory…north and west shores of Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, north shore of Maui, and tonight the west shore of the Big Island

 


~~~
Hawaii Weather Narrative
~~~

 

A cold front has reached our islands from the northwest. Southwest to southerly Kona winds will remain gusty ahead of the front. A band of heavy showers, and a possible thunderstorm will accompany the front…as it moves across the island chain. The front has passed over Kauai early this morning, and is moving through Oahu now, reaching Maui County later today, and on to the Big Island early tonight into Tuesday morning. The front will then move away to the east later Tuesday into Wednesday, with drier conditions expected through Thursday.

Winds have already decreased across Kauai…following the frontal passage. Gusty winds will continue through the day across Oahu, Molokai and Lanai. However, they will decrease across Oahu in the wake of the frontal passage. The winds are expected through the day across Maui, where the front will be delayed enough for the gusty winds to continue into the evening. Additionally, Gusty winds are likely across the lower elevations of the Big Island today, particularly around Kona and downwind of the Kohala Mountains…and the southern slopes of Mauna Loa.

The cold front will exit to the east of the Big Island Tuesday evening, with high pressure then quickly moving by to the north of the islands Wednesday and Wednesday night. This area of high pressure will shift quickly east of the state Thursday and Thursday night, with its trailing ridge of high pressure migrating southward over the island chain. This is expected to result in a period of drier weather and lighter winds, with the best chances for rain expected across windward sections of the Big Island…where some lingering moisture from the old front will remain.

The computer models show another cold front moving through the islands later this week…into the weekend. These models have come into better agreement on timing now, indicating an increase of showers across the Kauai end of the state late in the day Friday. Thereafter, the band of showers associated with the front will move down the island chain Friday night through Saturday night…with drier weather returning by Sunday into early next week. It appears that this next front could bring another round of heavy showers and gusty kona winds to the island chain.

Here’s a wind profile of the Pacific Ocean – Closer view of the islands / Here’s the vog forecast animation / Here’s the latest weather map

Marine environment details: Rough boating conditions will continue across the Hawaiian waters through Tuesday, due to strong winds out of the southwest and choppy seas associated with a cold front moving down the island chain. These conditions are expected over the marine zones that are typically protected during strong trade winds, or from large northwest swells…such as Maalaea Bay and some of the leeward waters. In addition to the rough boating conditions, rough surf along exposed south and west facing shores will be expected through Tuesday.

The latest model guidance remains in agreement through mid week and depicts this front clearing Kauai today, Oahu through the overnight hours tonight and Maui County and the Big Island Tuesday into Wednesday. Moderate to strong west-northwest winds will fill in behind the front, which should translate to the very rough seas easing. Winds will quickly shift out of the north through the day Wednesday, then out of the east-southeast Thursday (becoming light with land/sea breezes possible Wednesday night into Thursday) as another cold front approaches the region. As this front approaches, expect similar conditions to develop once again across the waters Friday into the weekend…with strong southwest kona winds and rough seas returning.

A large west-northwest swell, associated with a very active pattern across the northwest Pacific, will fill in and steadily rise through the day, then persist through mid week before trending down. This source will result in a long-duration event with surf reaching advisory levels for exposed north and west facing shores today, and up to warning levels Tuesday through Wednesday. Wave run-up issues could become a possibility through this period, which could translate to overwash onto the typical vulnerable coastal roadways Tuesday through Wednesday…mainly at and around the times of high tide.

For the outlook into the upcoming weekend, another large west-northwest swell is expected to fill in and impact the local area with surf reaching advisory levels along north and west facing shores Friday night through Saturday. This source will be associated with a developing hurricane force low pressure system currently centered just east of Japan…which is forecast to lift northeastward toward the Aleutian islands of Alaska through mid week.

 

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Windy weather locally…batten down the hatches if you live in a wind prone area


World-wide tropical cyclone activity


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>>> Atlantic Ocean: The 2017 hurricane season begins June 1st

Here’s a satellite image of the Atlantic Ocean

>>> Caribbean: The 2017 hurricane season begins June 1st

>>> Gulf of Mexico: The 2017 hurricane season begins June 1st

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 PacificThe 2017 hurricane season begins May 15th

Here’s the NOAA 2016 Hurricane Season Summary for the Eastern Pacific Basin

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
: The 2017 hurricane season begins June 1st

Here’s the NOAA 2016 Hurricane Season Summary for the Central Pacific Basin

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

>>> Northwest Pacific Ocean: No active tropical cyclones

>>> South Pacific Ocean:  

Tropical Cyclone 04S (Carlos)
is active in the South Indian Ocean, here’s the JTWC graphical track map, with a satellite image …and what the computer models are showing


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

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


Interesting:
Human activity degrades Natural World Heritage Sites
A report published in the journal Biological Conservation finds that recent increases in human pressure and forest loss are causing the degradation of over 100 Natural World Heritage Sites (NWHS) globally.

Since 1993, 63% of NWHS have suffered from increased human pressure, according to the paper. The largest increases have been seen in Asian NWHS, and 91% of NWHS that contain forests have experienced forest loss since 2000.

Results indicate that NWHS are becoming increasingly isolated and facing growing threat from human pressure outside their borders.

Agriculture and urbanisation were identified as the leading causes, resulting in loss of biodiversity, high extinction rates and ecosystems collapse.

The World Heritage Convention was adopted in 1972 to ensure the conservation of the world’s most valuable natural and cultural resources. Over 190 countries have signed The Convention, committing to conserve 229 NWHS.

Yet the report highlights the growing challenges that undermine the convention’s success, with threats now lying largely outside the NWHS and resulting from population pressure. It also reveals the urgent need for large-scale conservation initiatives.

The report notes that,

Anthropogenic habitat conversion due to human activities such as agriculture and urbanisation are driving biodiversity extinction rates well above background levels, and the condition of many ecosystems is in decline worldwide.

Senior author of the report, James Watson from the Wildlife Conservation Society and University of Queensland in Australia remarked that, “The world would never accept the Acropolis being knocked down, nor a couple of pyramids being flattened for housing estates or roads, yet, right now, across our planet, we are letting many of our natural world heritage sites be fundamentally altered”.

Humanity relies on ecosystems and biodiversity for its existence.