May 15 – 16 2006

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

Lihue, Kauai – 77F
Honolulu, Oahu – 80
Kaneohe, Oahu – 77
Kahului, Maui – 78
Hilo, Hawaii – 72
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 83

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

Kailua-kona – 72
Kahului, Maui – 60

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

0.27 MOUNT WAIALEALE, KAUAI
0.37 POAMOHO 2, OAHU
0.15 MOLOKAI
0.00 LANAI
0.00 KAHOOLAWE
1.14 WEST WAILUAIKI, MAUI
1.81 LAUPAHOEHOE, BIG ISLAND

Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing a high pressure system located far to the NW of the islands. At the same time we have a low pressure system to the NE of Hawaii. The interaction of these two pressure systems will keep north to NE breezes blowing through Wednesday. 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

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Tropical Hibiscus…

The interaction between a low pressure system to our NE, and a high pressure cell to our NW, is providing slightly cool north through NE breezes now. This is rather unusual for the middle of May. Meanwhile, if that wasn’t enough, we had what’s called a shearline cloud band pushed down through the state late Sunday as well. It kept the windward coasts and slopes mostly wet this past weekend, but is now located to the south of the state. There’s still quite a bit of low cloudiness banked up against the windward sides Monday, while the leeward coasts are mostly clear in contrast. A swath of high cirrus clouds are moving over the state from the south, which will filter our sunshine at times.

The latest computer forecast models show the low pressure system, described in the last paragraph, spinning in place through most of this week. Typically, weather features such as this low move along steadily in the middle latitudes, generally from west towards the east. However, in this case, we have what we call a blocking pattern over the north Pacific, which will keep that low parked to our NE through the week. This in turn will keep our winds coming in from the north through NE for the time being, which brings in air from more northerly latitudes than usual…giving a slightly cool aspect to our weather.

Those models go on to show another unusual weather event, in the form of a cold front arriving around mid-week. As the blocking pattern breaks down, the low and high pressure systems will shift east. This will allow the high pressure system to push a cold frontal cloud band through the state around Wednesday. This is very late in the year for such an occurrence, and may bring in another round of windward showers then. As we move into Thursday, we’ll see the trade winds returning, with generally favorable weather conditions sticking around through the rest of the week. Climatology would suggest that we’d move into a prolonged trade wind weather pattern through the rest of the month.

It’s early Monday evening here in Kula, Maui. The light to moderate northerly to NE breezes today, kept daytime temperatures cooler than normal for this time of year. Case in point: Hilo, which sits close to sea level, registered a high temperature of only 72F degrees, while the Kahului airport, also very near the waters edge, topped out at a relatively cool 78F. The 83F degrees at Kona, shielded from the cool northerly breezes by the tall mountains of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, rose to 83F, which was the hot spot across the island chain on Monday. Sitting here in my weather tower, just before sunset, the air temperature right outside is a cool 59F degrees, while at the same time, the Kahului airport was reporting 72F degrees. Hilo was reporting a chilly 68F degrees with light rain falling near sunset. This little tropical “cool snap” won’t last long however, although until the winds finally turn back to the classic easterly trade wind directionon Thursday, it will still be somewhat cooler than what climatology would call normal. My Mom called me today, and said she really enjoyed the pictures of chocolate and the pretty flowers, that I dedicated to her for Mothers Day. It’s somehow so easy to get in touch with love for Mom…I think we can all agree on that fact! The sun is just now sinking down towards its setting moment this evening, with a slight orange glow as the thin cirrus clouds light up in response. I hope you have a great Monday night! I’ll be back early Tuesday morning with the next new narrative from paradise. Aloha for now…Glenn.

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