Weather Details & Aloha Paragraphs
Posted by GlennDecember 27-28 2006
Air Temperatures – The following maximum temperatures were recorded across Hawaii Wednesday:
Lihue, Kauai – 81F
Honolulu, Oahu – 86
Kaneohe, Oahu – 84
Kahului, Maui – 83
Hilo, Hawaii – 81
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii – 83
Temperatures early Thursday morning ranged between these warmest and coolest spots near sea level at the 5 a.m. hour:
Kailua-kona – 73F
Hilo airport – 65
Precipitation Totals – The following numbers represent the largest precipitation totals (inches) during the last 24 hours on each of the major islands, as of Thursday morning:
0.90 KOKEE, KAUAI
0.04 KII, OAHU
0.00 MOLOKAI
0.00 LANAI
0.00 KAHOOLAWE
0.23 OHEO GULCH, MAUI
0.24 GLENWOOD, BIG ISLAND
Weather Chart – Here’s the latest (automatically updated) weather map…showing a shearline cloud band moving down through the state Thursday. A following high pressure system will send a surge of cool north winds into the state, gradually turning to the NE and easing up a little 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.
Aloha Paragraphs
Photo Credit: Flikr.com
A cold front will arrive over Kauai Wednesday night , then ride down into the rest of the state during the day Thursday. This isn’t expected to be a strong frontal cloud band, and is actually being billed as a weak cold front by the NWS. Nonetheless, it will bring in a period of increasing clouds and showers…although the bulk of that moisture will be restricted to the windward coasts and slopes. Some drizzle or mist, or even a few light showers may stray over into the leeward sides locally.
The latest computer forecast models show the front stalling over Maui later Thursday…although it may sneak down as far as the Big Island before skidding to a stop. Either way, it will slow its forward progress over the southern islands later Thursday. Meanwhile, a cool surge of northerly winds will flood into the state in the wake of the frontal passage. I use the word cool in a tropical sense of course, although it will provide a definite chill for island residents and visitors alike…a wintery weather episode for a couple of days.
These chilly north winds will gradually veer around to the NE direction, and keep cool showers falling along the windward and north facing slopes into Friday. The leeward sides may see a few light showers Thursday with the frontal passage, but then become dry again by Friday. Looking further ahead, the blustery north and NE winds will start to diminish this coming weekend, and be light already by New Years Eve day into the first day of 2007. Weather should be pretty good by then, although with the light winds, we could see some accumulation of haze, augmented by the smoke from all the various fireworks displays.
It’s early Wednesday evening here in Kula, Maui, as I begin writing this sunset commentary. It was a fabulous day here in the islands, as folks (I hope) took full advantage of this last day of warm and sunny weather. I sure did that, by going to the beach during my lunch break. I found hardly a breath of wind, and sunny skies, making for an absolutely perfect experience. The ocean was SO CLEAR, it was almost like swimming in a fresh water pool! There were a few tiny little waves, but I managed to catch a couple of very small ones into shore. The beach was packed with visitors from the mainland, and locals too. The afternoon turned out to be almost cloud free here on Maui, and now, just after sunset, there’s the most pleasant pink afterglow. My wind chimes are starting to sing, in anticipation of the notably stronger north winds…which will follow closely in the wake of the shower bearing cold front that will be sweeping down through the island chain through Thursday. I recommend grabbing that extra blanket for the chilly weather that will be around Thursday and Friday nights. I hope you have a great Wednesday night, and will meet me here again on Thursday. Aloha for now…Glenn.
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