April 27-28 2006

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

Lihue, Kauai – 81F
Honolulu, Oahu – 83
Kaneohe, Oahu – 79
Kahului, Maui – 85
Hilo, Hawaii – 77
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 83

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

Kailua-kona – 74
Hilo airport – 66

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:

0.33 MOUNT WAIALEALE, KAUAI
0.38 POAMOHO 2, OAHU
0.00 MOLOKAI
0.25 LANAI
0.00 KAHOOLAWE
0.20 WEST WAILUAIKI, MAUI
0.57 PIIHONUA, BIG ISLAND

Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing high pressure systems far to the NE and NNW of Hawaii. At the same time we find a weak cold front separating the two high pressure cells, whose tail end is located north of the state. This pressure configuration will keep moderately strong trade winds blowing today and Saturday…locally gusty during the afternoons. 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 available during the daylight hours here in the islands…and when there’s a big moon rising just after sunset for an hour or two! Plus, during the nights and early mornings you will be able to see stars, and the sunrise too…depending upon cloud conditions.

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 image “http://static.flickr.com/46/116321308_8a3a03ecc6.jpg?v=0” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.
Another nice Hawaiian sunset!



Light easterly trade winds will blow Thursday, with some areas seeing light SE breezes here and there. The main thing is that whatever balmy air is moving around…will be on the light side of the wind spectrum. As a result, there are no marine warnings or advisories for winds across Hawaiian waters. These light east to SE winds will help to moderate the afternoon heat near the coasts, although most areas will still be rising well up into the 80F’s during the days. Overnight low temperatures will drop down to near 70F, give or take a degree or two, near the beaches.

The latest computer models, along with weather chart data, show that the trade winds will strengthen some starting Friday. They often are quite blustery during the spring months, but this time around, they won’t be getting too uppity. We should see light to moderately strong trade winds blowing through the upcoming weekend, into next week. This is all fairly common during the transition period between April and May. Climatologically speaking, the trade winds often remain active through much of the month of May, providing cooling and refreshing relief from the tropical heat during the days…which feels good.

As for showers, there will be a few over the next couple of days, although nothing too heavy is indicated. The trade winds will be able to nudge a few showery clouds towards the north and east windward facing coasts and slopes. At the same time, with the prevailing light winds now, we will likely see cloud buildups over and around the mountains during the afternoon hours. These convective cumulus clouds will drop some showers over those interior upcountry sections today. As the trade winds gain a firmer foothold by Friday, the primary focus for whatever showers that are around, will concentrate their efforts most effectively along the windward sides again.

It’s early Thursday evening here in Kula, Maui…as I start this sunset commentary. Oh what a great sunset it’s going to be! Those high cirrus clouds tried to mute the sunshine today, but it was still pretty hot and sunny anyway. I thought we’d be through the most recent swath of high clouds, coming up from the deep tropics to our SW, but not quite yet obviously. The outside temperature is a warm 67F degrees, while the inside of my weather tower is being bathed by 77F degree warmth, just before the sun sinks behind the West Maui Mountains from my vantage point in Kula. I’ve stayed out of the ocean the last two days, wanting to keep my recent minor skin surgery clean as can be. It’s one more day of work before I fly to California early Saturday morning. It will be a short trip, but I’m really looking forward to seeing my siblings and of course my Mom and Dad. The warm sun is feeling so good on my bare back at the moment…and with just a few more minutes before it goes away, I want to get out there and relish the last few rays of the day on my weather deck. I hope you have a great Thursday night, and that you will join me here again on Friday for the next weather narrative from the paradise land of Hawaii. Aloha for now…Glenn.

p.s. Here’s a link to one of the advertisers on the left hand margin: A Happy Maui Wedding…Maui’s Happy Wedding and Vow Renewal Company “We believe that your Happy Maui Wedding experience begins at the time of your initial contact with us. We define A Happy Maui Wedding, as one that is arranged and performed with heart and sincerity, from the start to beyond the finish.”