Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs

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

Lihue, Kauai – 77F
Honolulu, Oahu – 79
Kaneohe, Oahu – 77
Kahului, Maui – 80
Hilo, Hawaii – 79
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 83

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:

0.04 MOUNT WAIALEALE, KAUAI
0.56 MANOA LYON ARBORETUM, OAHU
0.00 MOLOKAI
0.00 LANAI
0.00 KAHOOLAWE
0.78 WEST WAILUAIKI, MAUI
0.47 MOUNTAIN VIEW, BIG ISLAND

Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing a 1030 millibar high pressure system far to the NE of Hawaii. This cell of high pressure will keep moderate trade winds blowing today through 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 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.

The trade winds, which have been blowing all of April, will continue through Friday. The latest forecast charts suggest that they will continue to blow across the Hawaiian Islands through the end of this month! High pressure systems to the north will be the source of these moderately strong breezes. 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 Friday.

We continue to have 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, with air temperatures rising well 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 as usual.

It’s early Thursday evening here in Kula, Maui, as I begin this evening’s sunset commentary. Today was quite a nice sunny day, that is during the first half of Thursday. A bank of high cirrus clouds swept in over the Aloha state during the afternoon. Here’s a satellite image showing this canopy of ice crystal clouds streaming northward from the tropics to Hawaii’s south. The leeward sides had good sunshine today, with temperatures once again zooming right up into the upper 80F’s in both Kihei and Lahaina. As I was driving home from work, coming up the Haleakala Highway, there was the most obvious drizzle cloud that had enveloped the windward areas of Paia and Haiku…extending upcountry over Pukalani, Olinda and Piiholo. This mist was stretching over the highway, creating a nice rainbow as I cruised up the mountain listening to NPR on this FM station. As I look out my weather tower window now, there is fog hanging low in the trees a little higher up in Kula. I’m listening to a classical radio station now playing Beethoven, which nicely fits the end of the day here on Maui. Thanks to the many folks who have sent their well wishes on my Fathers health. I’m flying to Long Beach in about a week from now, for a short five day visit…which I’m very much looking forward to! I hope everyone has a great Thursday night, and that if you are so inclined, you will join me here again on Friday morning for the next edition of Glenn’s weather narrative. Aloha for now…Glenn.

p.s. Here’s a link to one of the advertisers on the left hand margin: Spreckelsville beach front lots, whose website says: “Serious buyers may call Henry Spencer at (808) 280-4130 to discuss any issues related to the sale of lots. ”