August 10-11 2006

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

Lihue, Kauai – 83F
Honolulu, Oahu – 88
Kaneohe, Oahu – 84
Kahului, Maui – 88
Hilo, Hawaii – 83
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 – 77
HILO 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:

 
0.51 MOUNT WAIALEALE, KAUAI
0.05 KAHUKU, OAHU
0.00 MOLOKAI
0.00 LANAI
0.00 KAHOOLAWE
0.13 OHEO GULCH, MAUI
0.38 GLENWOOD, BIG ISLAND
 

Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing a 1035 millibar high pressure system located far to the NNE of our islands. This high pressure cell, with its associated ridging, will keep gusty trade winds blowing across our area today and Friday.  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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  One the nicest places in the islands…windward Oahu!
Photo Credit: flikr.com
 


Nothing but trade winds out as far as the eye can see, or at least the computer models can see that is. The source of these locally blustery trade winds is a moderately strong high pressure system, located far to the NNE of our islands. The forecast calls for the trade winds to keep blowing all this week into next week, providing their cooling and refreshing relief from these hot days of August.  


The fairly dry conditions will continue too, with just a few windward showers here and there. The nights and early mornings will find the most frequent showers, which is common when we have a steady trade wind flow like this. The overlying atmosphere remains quite stable now, so that I don’t expect any heavy showers…although there’s always the chance for a couple of briefly heavy downpours out along the windward coasts. The leeward sides will remain mostly dry, although the Kona coast will see some afternoon or evening showers in the upcountry areas. 

It’s early Thursday evening here in Kula, Maui, as I begin this sunset commentary.  At the Pacific Disaster Center in Kihei, we have a long term member of the team leaving. Many of us joined him for a parting ways lunch at one of the Wailea resort restaurants. It’s sad to see folks depart, although it’s certainly a part of life, but still you know, you get used to having people in your life on a daily basis! I didn’t get to the beach as a result, although it still looked pretty windy down there. It’s just about sunset, and I’m listening to soft and gentle Hawaiian music, that I got by clicking on the link on the left hand margin of this page, labeled "listen to Hawaiian"  Music"…its nice! My Mom told me today on the phone, that I spend too much time updating my website, and working in general. She said "take the weekends off Glenn", which several of my friends have suggested too. I’ll have to see about that, sleep on it some. At any rate, the weather here in the islands is so nice now, really really quite ideal for this summer season. I’m sure that most locals, and just about all visitors would agree with my assessment. At the same time, I must admit that I look forward to the autumn season too, maybe because I’m looking forward already to taking my vacation then! I hope you have a great Thursday night, I’ll be back around early in the morning with your next narrative from paradise then. Aloha for now…Glenn.

I want to highlight another of the great advertisers on my website today, this time its Wailea Escape Accommodations. "Nestled beneath the leeward slopes of the world’s largest domant volcano, Haleakala, and the year round warm Pacific waters of Maui’s sunny south shore, lies a green oasis with a distinguised addres…Wailea".  Escape to paradise!