June 22-23 2006

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

Lihue, Kauai – 84F
Honolulu, Oahu – 86
Kaneohe, Oahu – 82
Kahului, Maui – 87
Hilo, Hawaii – 82
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 86

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

Honolulu, Oahu – 76
Molokai airport – 69

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

1.22 MOUNT WAIALEALE, KAUAI
0.75    MANOA LYON ARBORETUM, OAHU
0.07 MOLOKAI
0.00 LANAI
0.00 KAHOOLAWE
0.51 OHEO GULCH, MAUI
0.40 PAHOA, BIG ISLAND

Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing high pressure systems located far to the NE and NW of our islands. These high pressure cells will lose their connecting ridge soon, as low pressure to Hawaii’s north breaks through…with lowering wind speeds locally as we move into the weekend. 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.

Tropical Cyclone Activity – The eastern Pacific hurricane season runs from May 15 through November 30…while the central Pacific runs from June 1 through November 30. The latest storm information for eastern Pacific can be found by clicking here. A storm tracking map can be found by clicking here. For the central Pacific, the latest information can be found by clicking here.

Aloha Paragraphs

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Ahhh… the islands!
Photo: Flikr.com


As is usually the case during the month of June, the trade winds will continue to blow across the Aloha state. High pressure centers remained fixed far to the NW and NE, with their associated ridges stretched out between them. The latitudes to the south of this elongated zone of high pressure will be filled with moderate to fresh trade winds for the time being. This will bring the trade winds cooling and refreshing relief from the early summer daytime heat. The latest computer forecast models continue to show an area of low pressure developing to the NNW of Hawaii starting this weekend, which will cause a reduction in our trade wind speeds…continuing into early next week.

Satellite imagery shows just the usual cloud patches being carried in our direction on the trade wind flow. These moisture pockets will continue to bring a few passing showers to the north and east facing windward sides of all the islands through Friday. The overlying atmosphere remains fairly stable, so that nothing unusual is expected in terms of precipitation. The south and west facing leeward sides will remain dry for the most part, with just the Kona coast on the Big Island potentially seeing a few late afternoon or evening showers here and there. The presence of the upper low pressure system, as noted above, may cause an increase in showers along the windward coasts and slopes this weekend.

It’s early Thursday evening here in Kula, Maui, as I begin today’s sunset commentary. The high cirrus clouds, which spread over the state last night, continued to beautify our Hawaiian skies today. They turned pink at sunrise, and will likely flare-up pinkish orange again at sunset…a little while from now. For various reasons, I’ve not been able to go to the beach at lunch lately. However today I was able to take a walk down at one of my favorite sandy shores, dipping into the warm Pacific. It was fabulous to say the least, as the healing sun and ocean water worked together in their wonderful ways. It’s getting close enough to the weekend now, that I’m starting to think with pleasure about the free time I’ll have from my busy schedule then. I got an email from one of the writers at the Marin Magazine (the county just north of San Francisco), asking me to submit a couple of paragraphs about Hawaii weather for an upcoming publication…which I was happy to do. I’ll let you know when that comes out online if I can. Ok, time to go down and have some pesto pasta, plated with some fresh organic garden salad for dinner. I hope you have a great Thursday night! I’ll be back early Friday morning with your next narrative from paradise. Aloha for now…Glenn.