Hawaiian Islands Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs / September 27-28, 2017

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

88 – 76  Lihue, Kauai
90 – 76  Honolulu, Oahu – record high temperature Wednesday was 93…back in 1975
86 – 74  Molokai
92 – 70  Kahului AP, Maui – record high temperature Wednesday was 93…back in 1984
87 – 73  Kailua Kona
86 – 70  Hilo AP, Hawaii

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

0.30  Lihue, Kauai
0.27  Punaluu Stream, Oahu
0.00  Molokai
0.00  Lanai
0.01  Kahoolawe
0.20  Ulupalakua, Maui
0.06  Kawainui Stream, Big Island

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

20  Poipu, Kauai
25  Kuaokala, Oahu
20  Molokai
22  Lanai
33  Kahoolawe
28  Maalaea Bay, Maui
29  Puu Mali, Big Island

Hawaii’s Mountains – Here’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

A weak cold front is north

High Cirrus clouds…west of the state

Partly to mostly cloudy 

Showers locally – Looping radar image

Small Craft Advisory…windiest coasts and channels around Maui County and the Big Island

~~~ Hawaii Weather Narrative ~~~

Broad Brush Overview: The trades will gradually increase over the next couple days, as a ridge to our north strengthens. An increase in localized showers will occur into the night…as moisture pushes across the islands from the east. Our winds will shift around to the southeast by the weekend, as a cold front approaches from the northwest. This will allow for daytime sea breezes and overnight land breezes in most areas, along with volcanic haze (vog)…and increased humidity moving northward across the islands.

Details: The weak trough and its associated moisture will track westward across the island chain, bringing an increase in trade wind showers to some areas. Light to moderate trades will prevail, then strengthen to moderate levels tonight through Thursday night. The trades will weaken Friday, as a cold front approaches from the northwest. This will likely bring some leeward shower development during the afternoon and evening hours, particularly today and again on Friday…due to the slightly weaker trade winds.

Looking Ahead:  The models continue to struggle with the handling of a developing low to the north and northwest of the state over the weekend into early next week. However at this point, the forecast keeps the cold front and its moisture just to the west. This front will prompt weaker winds and shift them around to the southeast. A few of these showers could produce some locally heavy downpours as well. Meanwhile, tropical cyclone activity here in the central Pacific isn’t expected through at least through the next 5-days.

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: A return of moderate trades is forecast through the second half of the week, as a weak trough moves through from east to west…and the ridge of high pressure strengthens to the north. Some of the typically windier channel waters may even reach advisory levels Thursday. Winds are forecast to weaken over the weekend and veer to the southeast, as a cold front approaches and moves into the area early next week. Land and sea breeze conditions will become a possibility near the coasts beginning as early as Saturday and continue through the weekend.

Surf along south facing shores will remain small through the rest of the week with mainly a mix of southeast and south-southwest swell energy . For the long range, the models depict a more amplified pattern setting up across the southern Pacific Thursday through Friday that features a storm-force low developing far southeast of Tahiti…which could bring the surf up along the south shores late next week.

Small north-northwest swell energy will continue and should be enough to keep the surf from going flat along north facing shores through the rest of the week. Despite some large model differences over the weekend and early next week, a small to moderate northwest swell will remain a possibility across the local waters Sunday night through early next week along north and west facing shores.

Surf along east facing shores will build slightly today through Friday as the trades fill in locally and upstream of the state. This, however, will be short-lived, as the winds are forecast to shift to the south and become light over the weekend…as a front approaches and stalls northwest.

World-wide Tropical Cyclone activity

>>> Here’s the Thursday PDC Weather Wall Presentation, covering Tropical Storm Maria...and Hurricane Lee

>>> Here’s the Thursday PDC Weather Wall Presentation, covering a tropical disturbance in the eastern Pacific…and another in the northwestern Pacific

>>> Atlantic Ocean:

Tropical Storm 15L (Maria) is active, here’s a NHC graphical track map, a satellite image…and what the computer models are showing

Hurricane 14L (Lee), is active, here’s a NHC graphical track map, a satellite image…and what the computer models are showing

>>> Caribbean Sea: No active tropical cyclones

An area of disturbed weather associated with a trough of low pressure is located over the northwestern Caribbean Sea. This system is forecast to move slowly north-northwestward across Cuba and the Straits for Florida during the next day or so. Some development of this system is possible when it moves near the Florida peninsula or the northwestern Bahamas on Friday or Saturday before upper-level winds become less favorable early next week. Regardless of development, this system is likely to produce locally heavy rainfall over portions of Cuba, southern Florida, the Florida Keys, and the Bahamas during the next several days.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…10 percent
* Formation chance through 5 days…low…20 percent

>>> 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

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

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

>>> Northwest Pacific Ocean:  No active tropical cyclones