Weather Details and Aloha Paragraphs

July 14-15 2006

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

Lihue, Kauai – 82F
Honolulu, Oahu – 84
Kaneohe, Oahu – 82
Kahului, Maui – 86
Hilo, Hawaii – 82
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 85

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

Kaneohe, Oahu – 76
Molokai airport – 72

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

1.44 MOUNT WAIALEALE, KAUAI
1.91 MANOA LYON ARBORETUM, OAHU
0.07 MOLOKAI
0.00 LANAI
0.00 KAHOOLAWE
0.48 HANA AIRPORT, MAUI
0.19 PAHOA, BIG ISLAND

Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing a 1030 millibar high pressure system located far to the NW of our islands, moving away westward. The winds Saturday will be light to moderately strong, locally gusty during the afternoons through Sunday. 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 (where Hawaii is) runs from June 1 through November 30. The latest storm information for the eastern Pacific can be found by clicking here. A storm tracking map for both the central and eastern areas can be found by clicking here . For the central Pacific, the latest storm information can be found by clicking here.

Nice ending of the day in Hawaii
photo credit: Konaboy

It’s definitely summer here in the Hawaiian Islands now, not only on the calendar of course, but also just the overall feeling here in the tropics. The days have been very sunny in most areas, with seasonably warm to quite hot daytime temperatures as a result. The trade winds have been rather blustery this week, although will start to get somewhat softer now into the upcoming weekend. They won’t be going away completely by any means, although they will slip gradually back into the more normal light to moderately strong realms. Rainfall will be limited, with whatever few showers that are around, restricted for the most part to the windward sides of the islands. The leeward sides will be mostly dry as a bone, with great weather for just about all outdoor activities. This favorably inclined trade wind weather pattern will last into next week.

We see two tropical cyclones whirling the waters of the eastern Pacific now, both of which are on the decline in strength. Recent hurricane Bud has already been downgraded to a tropical storm, while hurricane Carlotta will be dropping down into that weaker status soon as well. Neither of these storms are a threat to the Hawaiian Islands, although as usual, I will be monitoring their activity closely. The latest computer forecast models suggest that whatever is left of dissipating Bud, if it remains on the current track, could bring a change to our local weather conditions around next Wednesday or Thursday. If the remnant moisture from Bud where to arrive in the Aloha state then, we would see lighter winds, sultry tropical air, and an increase in showers. This prospect will have to be fine tuned as we go forward, although the one sure thing is that there won’t be any leftover strong winds from then retired Bud. Here’s a tracking map for you to follow the action.

It’s early Friday morning here in Kula, Hawaii, as I start writing this last paragraph of today’s narrative. As I was mentioning in my sunset commentary last evening, I was going back and forth about whether I would share the fact that today is my birthday. I finally decided (obviously) to let you in on the secret. I haven’t told my TV audience, or hardly anyone at work either. I could have taken the day off, but the truth is that I enjoy my work so much, as a meteorologist at the Pacific Disaster Center, that I figured why not just work on my birthday. I haven’t decided what to do afterwards, although I’m chomping on the bit to go skateboarding again, so I might ask a couple of friends to join me up the slopes of the Haleakala Crater, for a birthday skateboarding party.  Then again, it could go many other ways too. I may end up having some sort of birthday party Saturday night, although I’ve been so introspective lately, that I’m not too sure what I’ll end up doing? At any rate, enough about my birthday, lets get back to the weather here in the islands, which will be just great! I hope you have a wonderful day, I’ll be back later with more weather updates, and then back early Saturday morning with the next narrative then. Aloha for now…Glenn.

I want to highlight Mark Jackson, Realtor, as the advertiser of the day. Mark says:  "I have lived on Maui since 1974 and have been in the Real Estate business here on the island since 1988. I specialize in the West Maui Resort areas of Lahaina, Kaanapali, Napili and Kapalua, although I am able to represent you in all areas of Maui as well as the State of Hawaii."