March 2-3 2006

Air Temperatures — The following maximum temperatures were recorded across Hawaii Thursday:

Lihue, Kauai – 72F
Honolulu, Oahu – 81
Kaneohe, Oahu – 72
Kahului, Maui – 88
Hilo, Hawaii – 74
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 82

Temperatures early Friday morning ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level at the 4 a.m. hour:

Kailua-kona – 73
Lihue airport – 67

Precipitation Totals — The following numbers represent the largest precipitation totals during the last 24 hours (as of Friday morning) on each of the major islands, including:

4.08 MOUNT WAIALEALE, KAUAI
12.39 PUNALUU PUMP, OAHU
0.02 MOLOKAI
0.01 LANAI
0.00 KAHOOLAWE
11.59 KAUPO GAP, MAUI
4.66 PIIHONUA, BIG ISLAND

Weather Chart — Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing a 1020 millibar high pressure system to the NE of of the islands. At the same time we have low pressure troughs situated to the NW through SW of the islands…keeping our winds east through SE across the state. The trade winds will fill in more fully by Saturday. Here’s a Weather Map Symbol page for clarification about what all those funny weather symbols mean.

Hawaii’s Mountains — Here’s a link to the live webcam on the summit of near 14,000 foot Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii. The tallest peak on the island of Maui is the Haleakala Crater, which is near 10,000 feet in elevation. These two webcams are only available during the daylight hours here in the islands…that is unless there’s a big moon rising just after sunset for an hour or two!

Satellite Images — To view the cloud conditions we have here in Hawaii, please use the following satellite links, starting off with the Infrared Satellite Imageof the islands to see all the clouds around the state. This next satellite image is one that gives close images of the islands only during the daytime hours, and is referred to as a Close-up visible satellite image. The next satellite image shows a larger view of the Pacific…giving perspective to the wider ranging cloud patterns in the Pacific Ocean…out from the islands. To help you keep track of where any showers may be around the islands, here’s the latest animated radar image.

Aloha Paragraphs



Kailua-kona, Big Island
Photo: Douglas Peebles 


The long lasting low pressure system, with its associated trough to the west of Hawaii, is still there today. It has done an incredible job of keeping the western end of the Hawaiian Island chain wet most of this week. Kauai and Oahu have both taken their turns in coming under the “waterfall”, with Mount Waialaelae on Kauai picking up an incredible 11+ inches during the last 24 hours! A rain gauge on Oahu, Punuluu pump, picked up over eight inches of the wet stuff, which was no sprinkle either!


Weather maps and satellite imagery are finally suggesting we’re nearing the end of this wet weather event however. This low pressure system is in the process of moving NE away from our islands now. This will be the last day of heavy rainfall, with the threat diminishing greatly as we move into Friday. As we move forward, the trade winds will return, with drier air and less wet conditions in general. The windward sides may continue to see some passing showers, although nothing like what we’ve been putting up with recently.


The rest of the state, from Molokai, Lanai, Maui, down to the Big Island, has seen much less rainfall. There have been some showers around, mostly along the east and SE sides of those islands…some of which could be pretty generous at times. This was caused by the moisture being carried into the state on the returning trade wind flow. These SE breezes have kept voggy haze in place over Maui County, and some places on the Big Island too…especially the Kona coast. At the same time, there has been considerable amounts of sun dimming high and middle level clouds around, which has given most areas muted sunshine at best this week.


As the low and its trough move away towards the NE, we should see an end to the extremely cloudy conditions of late. Friday into the weekend will find the return of warm Hawaiian sunshine. The trade winds will clear the haze too, giving islanders a pleasant weekend. The only spoiler may be the passing shower activity along the windward coasts and slopes at times. In contrast, the leeward sides should finally get back to their favorite weather conditions…sunny beach weather! This “good stuff” will last into early next week.

It’s early Thursday evening here in Kula, Maui. There was actually quite a bit of sunshine today here on Maui, at least along the leeward beaches. It was warm too, case in point…the Kahului airport reached a summery 88F degrees today! That temperature beat the record by one degree for this date, which was 87F degrees back in 1950. The afternoon hours got cloudier, and there were some showers that fell here and there. Looking upslope here from my weather tower just before sunset, there is dense fog hanging in the tree tops a short distance away. I made it to the beach at lunch, which is always a GOOD thing to do. I saw lots of people very much enjoying the warm sunshine, and finally able to get that much sought after tan. I plan on surfing this weekend, and try to get out kayaking again as well, which I did last weekend. It’s warm this evening, 70F degrees inside my weather tower, and a relatively warm 64.4F degrees just outside. I hope you have a great Thursday night, and that goes along with an invitation to join me here again on Friday, for the next completely updated weather narrative here in the islands. Aloha for now…Glenn.

p.s. I spoke with my Father on the phone this morning, he was released from the hospital last evening, and is home again. He has a doctors appointment tomorrow, and an important test next week. So, the family is relieved for the time being, and is hoping for the best. Thanks for all your caring comments recently, I really appreciate all your positive feedback!

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