Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs

December 19-20 2006

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

Lihue, Kauai – 79F
Honolulu, Oahu – 82
Kaneohe, Oahu – 79
Kahului, Maui – 81
Hilo, Hawaii – 78
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 83

Kaneohe, Oahu – 74F
Kahului, Maui – 63F

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

0.08 MOUNT WAIALEALE, KAUAI
0.05 DILLINGHAM, OAHU
0.00 MOLOKAI
0.00 LANAI
0.00 KAHOOLAWE
0.07 WEST WAILUAIKI, MAUI
0.16 PAHOA, BIG ISLAND

Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing a 1029 millibar high pressure system far to the ENE, with its associated ridge extending westward…running by to the north of Kauai. The net result will be for light trade winds through Thursday…locally gusty during the afternoons in the southern part of the state.  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. 

Balmy trade wind breezes will grace the Hawaiian Islands, as we head towards the Christmas holiday.  These trade winds will blow mostly in the light 5-15 mph category, although there may be some localized gustiness during the afternoons in some locations. Our trade wind producing high pressure ridge will remain to our north for the most part. When it gets forced southward very near us, our winds will be lightest. As it bounces northward a little, our trade winds will strengthen a touch. This pleasant reality is forecast to last through the rest of this week, into early next week. 
 
The overlying atmosphere remains very dry and stable, keeping showers to a bare minimum.  Computer models and forecast weather charts, strongly suggest that this week will be quite dry, with hardly a sprinkle falling anywhere. We’ll have a surface high pressure ridge just to the north of the state, with a high pressure ridge aloft as well. The combination will keep shower activity absent for the most part. I think everyone will agree, that this favorably inclined prospect sounds pretty good! Days will be warm, with the nights seasonably cool…in the tropical sense of the word.

It’s early Tuesday evening here in Kula, Maui, as I begin writing this sunset commentary.  It was another great day here in the Hawaiian Islands, certainly from a weather perspective. There was hardly a drop of rain, loads of warm sunshine beaming down, and just light trade winds blowing for the most part. It was a work day for me, and as I had a teeth cleaning appointment in Pukalani late in the afternoon, I didn’t get into the ocean again today. I didn’t even have time to park across the street and look longingly at the blue ocean and that great sandy beach. There were a few more clouds today, at least compared to yesterday, although I didn’t see any showers falling anywhere. The air temperatures rose into the middle 80’s today in both Kihei and Lahaina, Maui…which makes for such a pleasant December day! There really isn’t any change to the weather outlook through the rest of this week, with more excellent conditions on tap right through Christmas. I hope you have a great Tuesday night, and that you will meet me here again Wednesday, where you’ll find the very latest in weather news from paradise awaiting your return then. Aloha for now…Glenn.