Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs

October 14-15 2006

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

Lihue, Kauai – 79F
Honolulu, Oahu – 84
Kaneohe, Oahu – 87
Kahului, Maui – 89
Hilo, Hawaii – 84
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 85

HONOLULU, OAHU – 78
LIHUE AIRPORT – 68

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

Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing an active cold front is working its way down through the state today. This will keep our winds light, although locally breey from the south ahead of the frontal boundary through Monday.  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.

 

Seasons first cold front bringing showers to Hawaii
Photo Credit: flikr.com

An active Pacific cold front is working its way down through the state Saturday, which brought clouds and showers to Kauai…with Oahu next in line, and then finally to Maui County Saturday night. This front will bring localized heavy rain and possible thunderstorms with it. The expectation is that showers will reach Oahu later Saturday, and then Maui County Saturday night…where it will stall before reaching the Big Island.  At the same time we will have a deep upper level low pressure system following closely behind the frontal boundary, which could enhance the cold fronts rains into Monday. The longer range models show that we should should see dry and pleasant weather starting around the middle of the new week ahead.

Tropical depression 04C began Friday, and already ended its short career early Saturday morning. This satellite image shows not only what’s left of this former depression to our SW, but also the cold front moving through the Aloha state, described above. Despite the fact that this tropical system has fallen apart, due to shearing winds aloft, it may still act as a moisture source for showers here in the islands. The latest thought is that the northern fringe of this area of disturbed weather will move NE, perhaps along the axis of the stalled cold front. If this were to happen, then showers over the central islands, and the Big Island may continue off and on for several days.

The NWS weather service is taking this threat of heavy rains seriously enough, that it issued a flash flood watch for the islands of Kauai, Oahu, and Maui County through Monday morning.  Saturday afternoon found the leading edge of the cold front nearing Oahu, as it heads towards Maui County. If you click on the link to this radar image you will be able to keep an eye on just where the rains are falling. It would be wise to drive carefully, as roads will become slippery and ponded at times, with threat of flash flooding.

It’s early Saturday evening here in Kula, Maui, as I start writing this pre-sunset commentary.  I had the best plans on going surfing this morning, but just couldn’t force myself to drive all the way over to the Lahaina side to meet friends. I got several calls from them telling me it was good, but nonetheless, I stayed put at home today. I needed the rest after staying out late last night club dancing in Paia town. Depending upon the weather, at it looks to be wet on Sunday morning, I may or may not make it surfing? I’m enjoying the progress down through the state of this first cold front of the autumn season. It’s at least partly cloudy at the moment, with what looks like cloudy areas before 6pm. I expect to be woke up tonight by some heavy showers, and hopefully some lightning and thunder too. Looking at the satellite image, provided a couple of paragraphs up this page, I can see thunderstorms embedded in the cold frontal cloud band! I’m sipping on a glass of red wine, the grape variety is Malbec, which I like very much. Oh boy, my wind chimes are starting to sing out, as the south breezes ahead of the cold front are picking up some now. South winds here in the islands are called Kona winds, which is a Polynesian word for leeward…as the winds come up from the deeper tropics to our south and SW. I trust you will have a great Saturday night, whatever you are up to! I’ll be back first thing Sunday morning with your next weather narrative, giving the details on this developing wet weather scenario. Aloha for now…Glenn.

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