Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs

Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across Hawaii Wednesday:

Lihue, Kauai – 78F
Honolulu, Oahu – 80
Kaneohe, Oahu – 78
Kahului, Maui – 81
Hilo, Hawaii – 79
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 83

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

0.75 MOUNT WAIALEALE, KAUAI
0.76 SOUTH FORK KAUKONAHUA, OAHU
0.04 MOLOKAI
0.00 LANAI
0.00 KAHOOLAWE
0.54 WEST WAILUAIKI, MAUI
0.65 PIIHONUA, BIG ISLAND

Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing a 1029 millibar high pressure system to the north of Hawaii. This cell of high pressure will keep moderate to locally strong and gusty strong trade winds blowing today through Friday. 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 Image of the islands to see all the clouds around the state during the day and night. This next image is one that gives close images of the islands only during the daytime hours, and is referred to as a Close-up visible image. This next 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

The trade winds, which have been blowing all of April, will continue through Thursday. The latest forecast charts suggest that they will continue to grace the Hawaiian Islands through the end of the month. High pressure systems to the north through NE will be the source of these moderately strong breezes. They will blow 24 hours a day, although be lightest at night, and strongest during the days. Wind speeds will vary between 10-25 mph for the most part, although those locally windiest spots will have winds in gusts reaching up over the 30 mph mark. The NWS office in Honolulu will keep the small craft wind advisory going through Thursday. There’s nothing unusual about all of this, as it matches climatology quite well.

We continue to have quite a contrast between the windward and leeward sides of the islands. There has been, and will continue to be lots of warm sunshine beaming down on the south and west facing leeward beaches, forcing air temperatures well up into the 80F’s. The cooler north and east facing windward sections will have high temperatures restricted to the 70F’s. Overnight low temperatures won’t vary much between the two sides of the islands, ranging between around 68F to the lower 70F’s in general. By the way, those windward areas will continue to see off and on passing showers…which will turn out to be most generous during the night and early morning hours. Again, there’s nothing too unusual about any of this during the spring months here in the tropics.

It’s early Wednesday evening here in Kula, Maui, as I begin writing this sunset commentary. The other day I was writing about how beautiful the blooming Jacaranda trees were looking, along the road that I drive to get home after work each day. Right along beside them we find another tree called Silver Oaks, which aren’t actually silver colored, but rather more of a golden orange actually. The picture above shows both of these types of trees, which are currently maxing-out in their beautiful display of flowers right now. Especially during the early mornings and around sunset, with the lush green pastures behind…these trees are nothing short of spectacular! It’s just before sunset now, and before the sun sinks into a gray bank of clouds covering the West Maui Mountains (at least from here in Kula), there’s a golden glow bathing the inside of my weather tower. The temperature inside, with all the windows open, is 70F degrees, while outside its a bit cooler at 63F degrees. As is almost always the case, I was able to get down to the beach at lunch in Kihei, and as usual, it was such a treat to walk on the sand, and then to dive into the clear waters of the warm Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, I received a call from my sister this afternoon, informing me that my Dad is in the hospital again. I’m waiting to hear from my Mom about the nature of the situation, and it may necessitate a trip home soon. I hope everyone has a very pleasant Wednesday night, and that you will be inclined to meet me here again early Thursday morning for the next weather narrative. Aloha for now…Glenn.

p.s. Here’s a link to one of the advertisers on the left hand margin: Lani Kai …Maui Vacation Rental, whose website says: “Brand new, fully remodeled, luxury vacation condo ideally located in sunny South Maui adjacent to some of Hawaii’s most beautiful beaches. Lani Kai, or “Heavenly Ocean” in Hawaiian, is your luxurious home base for exploring the best that Maui has to offer.”