August 23-24 2006

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

Lihue, Kauai – 83F
Honolulu, Oahu – 88
Kaneohe, Oahu – 85
Kahului, Maui – 86
Hilo, Hawaii – 83
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 86

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

KAILUA-KONA – 78
HILO AIRPORT – 67


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

 
0.89 MOUNT WAIALEALE, KAUAI
0.17 AHUIMANU LOOP, OAHU
0.00 MOLOKAI
0.00 LANAI
0.00 KAHOOLAWE
0.02 OHEO GULCH, MAUI
0.81 KEALAKEKUA, BIG ISLAND
 

Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing high pressure located far to the north and NE of our islands. Meanwhile, low pressure areas closer to the islands will cause our trade wind speeds to become lighter 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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  The clear ocean in Hawaii…
Photo Credit: flikr.com

 


We have a rather complex set of weather circumstances affecting the Hawaiian Islands at the moment.  We are essentially surrounded by active tropical systems, with hurricane Ioke the most intense out to our WSW.  Ioke however is moving away, and will be no threat to the Aloha state. There are several much weaker tropical disturbances to the south and SE of Hawaii as well. Then if that wasn’t enough, we have the low level swirl of clouds associated with former hurricane Hector, located to the ENE of Hawai. Before anyone gets too nervous, let me say this: none of these pose a threat to our fragile islands.


Weather conditions are forecast to stay rather nice through Thursday, with some high and middle level clouds filtering our sunshine during the days.  There will be the usual August trade winds blowing, although they will be a little lighter than they have been the last couple of weeks. This is due to whatever is left of Hector passing in between Hawaii and our trade wind producing high pressure system to the NE…interrupting the trade wind flow. At the same time we have an area of low pressure aloft edging in our direction too. The combination will keep our trade winds modestly subdued through most of the rest of this week.

As we move into Friday and the weekend, that’s when things become less clear…not only in terms of cloudiness perhaps, but also what exactly will happen then.  The latest computer forecast models continue to suggest that we’ll have low pressure aloft, which would make our local atmosphere more shower prone than it has been this week. Those same models go on to show a possible slug of moisture, associated with an area of disturbed weather, coming up towards our islansds from the SE. The big question is whether this moisture will actually arrive? If it does, we would see an increase in showers…stay tuned.

It’s early Wednesday morning as I begin writing this last paragraph of today’s narrative.  If you read down through the paragraphs above, you will know that there is a degree of uncertainty surrounding the outlook for this weekend’s weather. It isn’t expected to be anything "bad", just whether or not we would see an increase in showers or not. The Big Island, and perhaps Maui would be the most likely candidates for this tropical moisture. At any rate, we can’t "cement this forecast into place" just yet. This leaves us for the next couple of days basking in delightful late summer weather conditions! I hope you have a great Wednesday, whether you’re here in the islands, or somewhere else in the world. It’s a work day for me, and then I’m going to take in a film at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center this evening. Aloha for now…Glenn.

I want to highlight another of the great advertisers on my website today, this time it’s Maui Snorkel Tours.  Shoreline EcoVentures with Suzzy Robinson…safe and entertaining trips into the marine environment on Maui.