August 7-8 2006

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

Lihue, Kauai – 84F
Honolulu, Oahu – 88
Kaneohe, Oahu – 83
Kahului, Maui – 88
Hilo, Hawaii – 82
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 87

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

KAILUA-KONA – 78
HILO AIRPORT – 70


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:

 
5.16 MOUNT WAIALEALE, KAUAI
0.19 POAMOHO 2, OAHU
0.01 MOLOKAI
0.00 LANAI
0.00 KAHOOLAWE
0.47 WEST WAILUAIKI, MAUI
0.49 GLENWOOD, BIG ISLAND
 

Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing high pressure systems located far to the NW and NNE of our islands. These high pressure cells, with their associated ridging, will keep gusty trade winds blowing across our area today and Wednesday.  Here’s
a Weather Map Symbol page for clarification about what all those weather symbols mean on the map.

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.


Aloha Paragraphs


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  Gorgeous sunset!
 


The Hawaiian Islands will remain in a steady stream of moderately strong trade winds. The source of these breezy trade winds is a moderately strong high pressure center, located far north of the islands, as this new week begins. The forecast calls for the trade winds to keep blowing all this week, providing their cooling and refreshing relief from the hot days of August. There will be an ever so gradual reduction in our wind speeds this week, at least in contrast to the very strong trades of last week.

The overlying atmosphere got a little unstable this past weekend, as an upper level low pressure system "set up shop" to our north. The most notable expression of that instability occurred over Kauai, where over 13 inches of heavy fell at Mount Waialeale, which just so happens to be the wettest place not only in Hawaii, but the whole planet! At any rate, the combination of the upper low in our area, along the ample moisture being carried in our direction by the brisk trade winds…kept our windward sides somewhat more showery than usual for this time of year. The Kona area, especially upslope from the coast, will see some afternoon showers at times this week. Otherwise, nothing unusual coming our way in terms of precipitation, with just the few common windward showers prevailing.


It’s early Monday evening here in Kula, Maui, as I begin writing today’s sunset commentary. I hadn’t been in the ocean since this past Saturday, so I was really looking forward to getting to the beach during my lunch break Monday. I got down there kinda late, around 130pm, and by that time it was totally windy, so windy that I gave it a pass. That’s just how it is sometimes, and as I’m often pointing out, the morning hours are much better in terms of lighter winds usually. On another note, I have a pet peeve, one that is causing me some concern. It seems that more and more I see people running red lights! I have come to expect to see a car or two running the yellow on a regular basis, with often, yes often, a car totally going through a full on red! The interesting thing is that I never see a police car going after these people. As is my habit now, I never head out across an intersection anymore on a green light, before looking both ways to see if anyone is coming from either direction. This is sad, having to worry about someone in such a rush that they are willing to endanger themselves and others on our public highways. The sun is going down right now, so that this really is a bonfide sunset commentary today. I hope you have a pleasant Monday night, and that you will join me here again come early Tuesday morning, when I’ll be back with your next narrative. Aloha for now…Glenn.